Cincinnati May 9th [1873] 

My dear Mart 
For me I think so 
much of it is astonishing how 
little I know of you. I receive 
the enclosed letter from one 
who has often heard me speak of 
you as my friend, and I 
am ashamed to say I am at 
a loss where to send it. 

However the home place 
is an abiding land Mart and 
I am sure of its destination 
if it is sent there. 

First business; the letter 
speaks for itself. I can 
only say in addition that 
Mary Jacques seems to me one 
of the loveliest persons in 
mind and manner that it is 

[Top margin] 
another - dont we
my dear Martha. 
Since some one 
has said that 
health is four 
fifths of living 
and in some moods 
I believe it, I am 
sorry to have 
postponed my 
sincere anxiety 
for your frail 
health to the end 
of my letter. 
If you still suffer 
as much as ever?
I hope not - 
Always your 
loving friend 
Ellen M. Patrick


my fortune to know. She is 
a niece of Mrs. Croger of Upland 
and teaching in one of the 
Private Schools of [Philadelphia]. 
She taught several years in 
Miss Sanford's school - (I 
believe that is the name.) 
She is certainly in every way a 
superior person and seems 
quite saintly - That is her 
reputation among those who 
have lived with her - If you 
can take her in or do any 
thing for her, you must 
see her for yourself - 

In either case whether you 
can or cannot will you do 
me the kindness to communicate 
with her. I presume 
if you do not arrive North 
(you see I am still taking 
for granted that you are at 
Aiken) before the date she 


mentions in her letter she might 
remain at her Uncle's later in 
order to see you - She is a 
person from 35 to 40 perhaps, 
a self reliant self dependent 
person - no home except 
with her Aunt whose adopted 
she was at an early age and 
with an unmarried sister who 
keeps house for the adopted 
father. Sarah her sister lives 
near us in Hopedale. 

Now my dear Mary [Underlined: how] do you 
do, mind and body? 
What a host of delightful 
associations and tender gushings 
come thronging up to the 
surface as I sit writing to you! 
As you see from my date I 
have cut loose from the home 
Anchor again and am adrift. 
I am substituting this year 
for my sister who has been 


teaching here four years - 
I have had a very pleasant 
year though I was much 
disappointed to have my 
sister go home sick (I had 
no idea of teaching for her 
when I came from home). 

I have found a good many 
pleasures which could not 
come within my reach in 
a quiet country village 
like Hopedale. The Musical 
Festival now going on among 
them. It really is delightful. 
I am going again tonight - 
I don't feel as though I 
know how property to enjoy 
music. In that my preparatory 
education was sadly deficient - 
It is to me the 
most transitory of enjoyments 
its completeness always [?] 
by the consciousness of its 


transitoriness - Though each 
moment might be one of 
delight I can only remember 
the next simply that I have 
enjoyed. Though I live in a 
city there is a charming bit of 
country close by in the shape 
of a park - It is so near that 
private grounds could not 
be much better calculated 
for our especial benefit. 
School is [Underlined: easy] which is the 
main thing after all with 
me and don't worry - there 
is no wear on the nerves and 
I have a comfortable feeling 
of "doing something" in the 
world and earning my 
right to a share in its happiness 
and good things - & 
as I am not grasping and 
a little satisfies me I think 
on my [Underlined: content]. I really don't 


know whether I shall come 
back to [Cincinnati] or not. I don't 
know whether my sister will 
come - though her health is 
improving - Mart there is so 
much to say to get in rapport
with you that I don't know 
where to being - It is fortunate 
that friends whose 
friendship really means 
everything can understand 
a great deal without expression. 
Such friendships can 
afford to be silent - and I find 
it is a great thing to be [Underlined: more] 
of your friends without writing 
to them when one has little 
strength and great demands 
upon the outer and inner life. 
To keep well and happy I 
have to be rather lazy at least 
so I persuade myself - I am 
no society person, and think a 


deal of being by myself, 
and very much of taking things 
easy. - I live in my Cousins 
family - a pleasant pretty family from 
grandmother down to little boys.
A grandmother is a kind of 
benediction in a family and children 
well, I must get sentimental over the 
children for liking them over 
much never was one of my weaknesses - 
but Mart I can feel the 
[Underlined: Maternal] element within me. 
I think it is a blessed thing 
to be mother - Motherhood seems 
more to me than wifehood - 
It is the crown and includes 
the other as the greater always 
does the less; and as I doubt 
not greatness of soul includes 
and fathoms both whatever 
circumstance and outward 
condition - I read a good 
deal of one thing and another 


during the Winter but have 
put the books in the shelf now. 
The sensing Spring and living 
the [Underlined: inevitable] something to 
wear and the finishing up the 
school year and going home 
by & by are quite enough. 

I enjoy my church 
associations [Underlined: here - Unitarian] 
and enjoy the Mission School 
connected with the Church - 
For your sake and Lizzies and 
my own pleasure as well I found 
out the Hicksite Quakers one 
morning - A little handful of 
sweet faced women and 
venerable looking men - quiet 
beautiful service - What do you 
Quaker do to yourselves to look 
so placid & calm even to remote 
generations! It's the peace of the 
Spirit is not it? I should like 
to have had an ancestral bequest 
of that - I should certainly like 
such an abiding possession as 
so many bear witness to in this 
[?]. I expect you and Lizzie
have been growing calm & sweet-
faced in all these years and strong 
& brave within. After all it is in the 
sinner life that lets our living 
and there are sympathize with one 


[Envelope] 

Miss Martha Schofield. 
Darby. 
[Pennsylvania]. 

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