Martha Schofield letter to Sadie Brouwer Bartram

Home Oct 16th 1859

My very dear Sadie

As first day is the only one
that I have much time to write, I thought I would
just take the opportunity while the others have
gone to meeting — I had no idea when I received
thy letter it would be so long before it was answered
but we are so extremely busy now as probably thee
has heard sister Sallie has passed meeting and
expects to be married in a few weeks. it seems
almost impossible that in so short a time, she
our beloved sister will have her home to become
the wife of one whom I trust is worthy of her deep
affection — but so it is and if these things we cannot (line break)
complain for they are in the course of nature,
and although we will have another brother to love
it will seem like loosing her. how much we will
miss her in our home and look in vain for her
pleasing welcome after an absence from there —
They will board in the city so we will often meet —

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She intends having four bridesmaids, myself
among the number — we will be dressed in silk
mine is my [very?] dark as I wanted it for service afterwards
but I can tell more about it after it is over — — —

They called me “absent minded” all last
second day and well they might for I could do
nothing else scarcely but think of you — you
who I imagined were again assembling in the
schoolroom where one year ago I first met
the pleasant countenances of my dearly beloved
pupils — how well I remembered every little
circumstance — how strange all seemed at first, but
soon very soon. I felt we would soon I felt we would soon be acquainted,
[underlined] thee [\underlined] was not there
with us the first morning of our school-
I was very sorrow the day fixed for your announcement
was so stormy and hope it was not an omen of the-
future, any how it was not long before the sunshine
came forth again — I was thinking you would
not all be able to get there, perhaps some went
the day before — I do feel very anxious to hear all
about it. and would dearly loved to have been
with you — to have met you all again, but I
will not despair we may anticipate seeing other

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though I have no prospect of visiting you
yet, but hope to see some of you in my own
home, [for?] I have not forgotten thy Uncle, Aunt
and self promised to visit me so that I may
endeavor to repay you for some of your kindness
I [shall?] look forward to the coming spring hoping
that then I may welcome you as will my
friends Edward and Anna to my home —

The dressmaker was here last week and of course
all were busy sewing, for there is much to do
even if we have a sewing machine which we
could scarcely get along without — in one day
we sewed 70 yards with it — it is a very great help —
and I wish every family had one — such a saving
of time and labor —

Your school will be larger [10?] boarders will
quite increase the size of the family and I do
eventually hope you will get along with peace and
harmony — Thy [underlined] name sake [/underlined] has really gone, she
will not be there to worry dear Anna, and I
trust all the rest of you will be [underlined] good children [/underlined]
oh! yes I think will, for you were last winter
and surely will do as well now — —

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Many thanks for the little memento from [Joseph Corliss]-
thee must have had a delightful time
at Tarrytown. I enjoyed my visit there so
much — my best love to thy Aunt Sarah

Sadie of course [underlined] I [/underlined] was to know who thee dreamd
about and shall expect to be told in thy next letter
if thee does not say who I will think [underlined] it was nobody [/underlined]
therefore thee may be an [underlined] old maid [/underlined]”
Will thee please take Charlotte [underlined] I [/underlined] will send her paper an
old one but it has some [underlined] picture [/underlined] in which I thought
would interest it. particularly the [underlined] whale [/underlined] which
I saw though it does not look much like the original
as I imagine the one who drew that never saw the true one.
I should have sent it sooner but it was mislaid & do
not know even now that it is worth it — —

I suppose there were quite a number of you go to Meeting
this beautiful morning, I think the big wagon will
come in use again — I do hope dear Anna will not
work too much I often fear she will over do — and it
is so bad when she gets sick — now you girls must
all take [underlined] plenty [/underlined] of [underlined] [expense?] [/underlined] , the same old cry. but I
know I was too neglectful of it last winter — My
health is very good excepting that cough which
comes occasionally just as it did last winter-
I have other letters to write and this has been done in
great haste, consequently written miserably. but it is for thee
alone — Thee can give a great great deal of love to all of
the girls, I would be very glad to have a letter from any of them —
I wish Hannah [H?] would write — if she writes any more poetry
wont thee let me have a copy — I think she does so well —

Company is coming this afternoon so I will have to close
again & say until very soon — and give much love to all
dear Anna all the girls boy — thy self &c — [poor?] thy true friend
M. Schofield

[Envelope writing]

Sadie Mott Brouwer
Care of Edward Willets
Harrison P.G
Westchester [?]
New York