The
Fassett Letters - Letter #16
Date: 6/28/1854
Place: Placerville
From: Ann F.
Germain, Chittenden
To: Mother
Placerville,
June 28/54
Dear Mother,
Your
good letter of May 8 was recd June 24, Saturday.
I was baking, and
put 4 pies in the oven then sat down to take a good read.
It was long
and in reading it I forgot pies and everything but that. After reading
it all
over (as I supposed) I turned it over and a line caught my eye that I
had not
seen. It was “Now Ann dont let your pies burn while you are
reading this.” You
ought to have seen me throw the letter and run, laughing, and saying
“Well,
Mother, Mother, my good Mother,” then the happy
tears would come,
to think I had such a kind Mother to write me such cheering letters. I
really
felt as if I had heard you speak to me. The fun of it was they had
baked very
nice, and of course, I had minded you. Wasn’t I a good girl.
The
Recorder, came too, and a
great treat it was. we have no Baptist preaching here and the paper has
failed
so that I hear no church news only what I get from you. I sometimes
feel as if
I were out of the world almost. I often think I will take a Baptist
paper from
home but they come so irregular. Parker advises me to wait. The
children are
all well and growing finely, Clara calls herself part
Grandpa’s
daughter, and wants to go there and live so does Guy, but Dwight
remembers the
trip and is not willing to leave Father & Mother. They all talk
of you
often and think with me that a visit to you would be the greatest
earthly
pleasure. Parker works the most of time by the day at 400 per day. he
thinks it
is about as well as to work for himself as there is some uncertainty
about
claims. The best pay now is in the hills, but sometimes they work 6
months and
then not get anything, and sometimes find thousands. Parker thinks it
hardly
best for him to run so much risk as we are saving some now. I put away
a 20
dollar gold piece last month besides supporting us and expect to save
that
every month. I thought I would fill a sheet this time but have not felt
very
well last week and this and kept putting it off. I have a poor spell
once in 3
weeks or three months and that makes me quite lazy. last week I did not
feel
well enough to work and left washing till Saturday. Then I done a weeks
washing
for my own family, Chit & Hale, and ironed part of them. After
P. came home
from work at night we made 36 pies. Sunday & Monday I felt used
up,
but yesterday baked 28 pies & 20 loaves bread before dinner,
today done a
large washing. am too tired to write but Chit says I must send this
tonight and
it is now sundown. I owe Grandma Peck a letter, also Jane, Sarah
& Aunt
Delia, and want to write poor Uncle George and Harris. Parker saw James
Morrow
the other day, he is well, and digging a tunnel at White Rock. I hope
Jane is
better, feel very uneasy about her, do send her here it will surely
cure her.
Please write often all of you and not judge me by my letters. I would
send
decent ones if I could. very much love to all,
particularly brother William
& wife. (Sarah always was fond of Sweet
Williams.)
Ever
Yours truly,
Ann F. Germain
P.S.
If
Chit visits you of course I
shall get a present. I would just hint woolen
stockings for myself would
be very useful. there is none to be had here only poor worsted at 100.
[The Following is upside down
at the top of the first page in Chit’s handwriting.]
Dear
Mother
I am trying to arrange my
business to make a short visit home this summer. dont be surprised to
see me at
any time.
Love to all Chittenden