The
Fassett Letters - Letter #17
Date:
10/29/1854
Place:
Placerville
From:
Ann
To:
Mother
Dear Mother.
This is a
lovely morning. I am sitting with my door open. the weather is just
warm enough
to be pleasant & bracing. Parker has gone with his dinner to
the tunnel,
Dwight with his, to school. Guy & Clara out doors getting
Spruce gum to
chew (just as Father & Mother did when they were children I
suppose.) while
I am sitting here alone writing to, & thinking of the
“old folks at home.”
I would give much to step in and see you this morning, but would feel
quite
satisfied, could I have a long talk with Chit about you. Hale
rec’ a letter
from him last mail that he was not coming as soon as we expected him. I
felt disappointed
on my own account but glad for your sakes, because I know it will be
hard for
you to part with him again, but “Trusting in Providence ever,
still let us hope
to be blest” with many more meetings even in this world. I
have been hoping
since C. left that I should see you next Spring if life and health were
spared,
as Mrs. Lee and I, had about concluded to take our little girls and go
together. (she to Illinois) Our husbands want us to go without them and
as we
were not willing to go alone, they planned for us to go together. It
suited us
nicely (only I did not want to leave P. & the boys) and we had
about made
up our minds to go, but I am sorry to tell you that we cannot do so on
account
of the fare being so high. It would cost 12 or 1500,00 dollars for
Clara and I
to go at present prices. that is more money than we could spare and we
have
given up the visit, or I should not mentioned it. I had rather wait a
year or
two longer and take all the family, but Parker dont want to go for 2 or
3
years, and says if I will go without him as soon as I
can, in a few years we will all go some fall and stay all
winter, so you
may expect to be twice glad. Parker is still well
pleased with his
tunnel. he said this morning there was ground enough to work 10 years
and if he
owned it all would never sell but keep it for his boys to work as he
would
never want a better fortune for them. it has increased in value 100
dollars per
month since he bought. he could have sold his fourth last week for
1500,
dollars but refuses to take less than 2000.
I have been sewing since I
wrote to you but expect to commence baking this week. We are all well.
Dwight
goes to school and we would send Guy & Clara, but have to pay
1,00 per week
for each scholar (& they only teach 5 days) so we think they
can wait till
next summer. Tell Jane 20 or 30 dollars for teaching 5 days is tolable
good pay. There are four schools here at that price. Every Friday
Dwight
carries his money as everything here goes on the ready pay system. The
children
all talk of you often. One day last week Clara asked what I thought was
the
prettiest name of all for a little girl. I said ‘dont know
what do you think
is.’ when she squealed out “why I think Grandma
is.” She talks a great deal
about being a woman, says then her Father will have 2 wives as she will
be his
wife too. Guy thinks ’Dumma would call
him Wight because he is a big
boy. I told him you would know by the black eyes, that bothered him at
first
but he soon settled it by concluding you would think D’s eyes
had turned
black here then how he laughed. I defy anyone to puzzle him long
without his
twisting out some way. Dwight sends some verses to Willie because he
thinks
them pretty. I should like to know something about Sarah, what her
husband
intends doing &c. you never hint a word. tell her to write all
she can it
is such a comfort to hear from home. This is meant for Harris too but
if he
will write to me will answer. Always give my love to the Grandmas,
Uncle Thomas
& Aunt Sally as well as all other friends, always reserving a
large share
for the family, Father & you. write whenever you can to your
absent but
affectionate daughter. Ann.
[The
following is written sideways along the right margin and inverted
along the top of the page.]
We
thank Father for the Newark papers but Parker says he
had better not pay for them any longer. It costs him considerable and
the news
is always old. we get it in other papers, and from you first.
[The
following is written inverted along the top of the first page.]
I
dont know as I can pay the postage on this as Hale has no
stamps and I have no one to send down town after any. The office is
often shut
after school when Dwight goes with the letters so he cannot pay the
money. I
think we always get all the letters. Chits head is full of business and
he
forgets what you write. The Recorders came regular till the last 2 or 3
mails.
I suppose you did not send them.
Go To: Previous | Index | Next