 | Berkeley papers |  |
You must really excuse me for not answering your kind
letter sooner, as my engagements have been more numerous than
usual. Ma has had Clarissa hired out for several weeks. The consequence
was we had the greater portion of the work to do. Suky
could not get through with the cooking washing & ironing for our
family & attend to her child, besides Ma permitted her to nurse
Mrs. Martz babe several times a day. Her attention was so much
divided you may know we got but little good of her. The Presbytery
came off in the meantime & we had company to entertain, so
you may know I had but little time to write. Clarissa came home
yesterday. I dont know which one Ma will hire out again. She has
put Tom in the country too. it is said at a very good place. We
miss him very much on some accounts, but it is better for him he
had gotten to be such an unmanageable boy.
Margaret & William & Lucy & Sue Heneberger left last Wednesday
for Burner Springs. We have heard once from them. They
were pleased but could not tell then that they had derived any
benefit Mitchell Conrad says Margaret ought by all means to have
gone to the All-healing. He is just from there & has great faith
in its waters. She left Willie at home with Fannie. She is very
well & very contented. Fannie & Mary Rush are busily engaged in
making tops for gaiters. Mr. Way pays them fifty cents a pair.
They can make two pair a day. I fear it is to confining for Mary.
She has been more complaining lately, not deservedly. I think she
has improved very much since she has been with us, both in spirits
& health. Minnie is well, but misses Lucy very much as we all
do. I fear Mary will not make her visit much longer now that Lucy
has left her. Caroline speaks of going with her when she goes. It
is surprising how much Ma has improved this summer & if she was
in a situation she could feel she was not obliged to expose herself
to the damp & cold, I think she would be in very comfortable
health. She has been suffering very much from a swelling in her
feet & legs.
There was quite a full attendance of ministers at the
Presbytery & quite a number of strangers, every thing past of
pleasantly & agreeably. Mr. Bocock was installed. The Church is
quite pretty since it has been firnished. They had no accessions
to the Church but Bob Hardesty. They consider him quite a gain
hoping I presume to get his father & mother. Mr. Bocock has been
lamenting the tendency to a sectarian spirit that he thought was
manifested here & wished some effort made to put it down. To
show what he is doing, I will tell you one instance. The trustees
of the seminary had elected Mr. McGruder a new school Presbyterian
to teach the next session, but instead of encouraging his
members to support that school, he has gotten 10 gentlemen to
raise a salary of 500 dollars to employ a son of Dr. Whites to
teach in town. It will of course break down the other school, for
it is difficult to keep it up any way, & it was all done secretly.
They are now trying to get up a female school for a Lady of
there Church.
I have been preserving & pickling but have not been able
but they were very indifferent. I fear I shall not get any fit
to preserve. But for the kindness of some friends in the country
we would not have tomatoes enough to eat. I have not put
one up yet. We have fine corn but not much else in our garden.
We continue to have a great deal of rain. it has been raining
more or less for two days & nights. some persons perdict a great
deal of sickness, but I hope it will not be so, John Green Smith
& his Lady arrived from California last Saturday. I have not seen
them yet. The report came here that he was unhappily married &
had become very dissapated. I hope it is not true. Ma received
a letter from Maria some time since. I will answer it shortly.
Our love to her if she has returned, also to Mary & kisses to
the children. Ma & all join me in love to yourself, brother,
Rosalie & the boys.
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