Mary H. Child letter to Martha Schofield; Lydia A. Schofield letter to Martha Schofield

Darby 3rd [Month] 7th 1869

My dear Mart
Patience Mitchem came
home with me from Meeting and has
just gone, so after reading some in the
Inteligence to Father I take my writing
desk in my lap and a seat on the corner
of the sofa and begin to talk with thee
by the pen, told thee last week I think,
about going to West Chester, a letter from Lide
think, she is getting stronger, 3rd day she and
Sallie Price are to go to Uncle [Doctor] [Jacob Price] to say
till after the Wedding, Allie was at uncle [Price]
several days with her, done up the girls fixing
as they dont come home till tomorrow- well
2nd day Jonah [?] & wife Hannah B. and
Sarah Bunting took tea with us none of the
girls at home but Lizzie done very well and
we had a pleasant visit, 3rd day Lydia came
out and it is right nice to have her here
I went in to attend the 6am,. staid all

[crosshatched writing]

Poor Cornelia I do
pity her so far
from home & it is
not likely she will
be able to teach soon
one of the [Shreeve?]
I think offered to
take her school
for a while, [?]
was so eninegetic [energetic] and
[?] that farm on
her hand I dont
know what she will
do. My love to
Mary I hope she
as well as thyself
will keep well
[affectionately] Mother

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night at Samuel, well we have had
a cold week snow on the ground for more
than a week and loads of ice going by here
to fill some body's ice house that had
almost dispaired of getting any, I told
Susan Hibbence to day thee mentioned her
in thy last letter, and said thee hoped she
would not go from Darby, well she says I
suppose thee has heard what I am going to
do, I said no I have not, she told me that
Samuel Bunting & Anna had bought
"Sill's" place and she was going to break
up and live with them. I was delighted,
wont it be nice to have them near-
Charles Andrews has rented Palmer's
where Sammy Bunting used to live-
dont know what other changes there may
be in Darby this spring- I did not tell thee
after 6am, 3rd day Sallie and I went to
Hillborn did not see Rebecca she was
much more poorly, had not been up
to have her bed made for several day

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and I dont believe Mary looks forward
to long life She had just come from school and
I said does thee still keep in the school;
Oh she said it is only that that keeps me up
how hard for the Mother to see them
go down to the grave one after another
Father told me after meeting, that John
Seller told him his daughter Mary
Baueroft died very suddenly, was
taken with [?] of the heart
and just went down, I could hardly
believe it not having heard any thing
of it [though] at the [?] 6th day and so many
thee from town, but it must have been
since then and I suppose she is now a corpse
how sudden she was his oldest daugther
has been a widdow many years, her daughter
pap'd [?] & last [month] with [?] Parrish',
son what a stroke it will be to her---
Not a word yet about our new President
I expect you are very anxious to see the
papers we took [?] [?] [?]

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and will send them to thee
Young say every thing went on
well and I believe He gives sattisfaction
so far, expect to the disappointed office
seekers of course many of them are
disappointed greatly it is though his
Cabient will be a good one- [?] even
political asperant keep such a secret
before? [though] he can hardly be called one
as he received his high position unsought
and goes into office untrammelled
what few of his predesessrers [predecessors]
could say well I hope we shall soon
have things restored to order and in
better state of things exist I think we
need not despair, since South Carolina
the most rebellious of the States has been
the first to establish : Equality before the law"-
You seem to have a good deal of gentleman
company at your Southern home, heard any
more from Mille A,? Sallie told me Uncle C
Charles Price [called] there to know where thee
lived as he was going to Charleston & though
thee was there she told him where thee was
last dont know that he will get to Aiken
wouldn't thee be glad to see him- Chalk Holt
also inquired where thee lived- it has been a
beautiful afternoon much milder- will not
the cold weather injure your Peach & Plum trees
[?] I shall have to close with thee would tell

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me just how thee

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Darby 3 [Month] 7 1869

4, 0, clock 1st day P.M,
My Dear Sister,
Ah Darby again
I go back & forth dont I? I came
out here last 3rd day to stay while
Lide is in Chester [County]-as I dont
like to leave father & Mother so alone,
It is very cold, though warmer this
P.M. some snow on the ground.
I was surprised to hear you
had [underlined: Ice]. I expected cold weather
was [inserted:done] down there- I hope it will
not kill your fruit, we received
thine 5th day- glad thee is better,
do take good care of thyself- has
thee been out of school any on
account of thy health? We heard
sad news yesterday of poor Cornelia
father was in town- Ellen had just

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folly to the Car's 5th day [morning] Early train. They expect to stay
all night-,
farewell dear Mart
with much love ever
[affectionate] sister Lydia

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heard that Cornelia is sick had
a hemorrhage of the Lungs- was
unable to [underlined:speak], father thinks
she is about done for. Ellen
thought, she would go right
down- but [Doctor] was in Bucks [County]
& she waited his return in the [evening].
I pity poor [Cornelia], she has looked so
badly the last year, I hope she
will get over it- she has had much
experience in her life, & I think
her [underlined: heart] has suffered deeply- [though]
she might be too proud to own
it, I do pity her. Mary Magrill
is very ill [Doctor] has been up there
several times- Edward sent for
him to go last 6th day P.M. &
to stay all 7th day if he could,
she is as her daughter [underlined:Maudes]
I found a letter here from Miss
[?], she had not received mine
written a week or two before

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I suppose they passed, I wrote asking
if she needed the money- hers was
to ask for it- so I wrote to John
for $ 20, of it- & received it
the next [Evening] with a very [underlined:sweet
note] from him. I sent the money to
her- hope she will get it safely, they are
enjoying their new house very much-
the flowers trees & [etc], Carolina lives with
them & Jacob at the Village comes every
Sunday to spend with her-are very
happy still- he has his children
with him [though] I suppose thee hears
from them all. John spoke of Mr
[?] death says "he was a man of the
nicest sense of honor I ever knew &
although for years removed hundreds
of miles from his native home, had the
affection of a School by for his father
& Mother", alas how often these separations
come, I was surprised to hear of
Emily Carters' death. I would like

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to write to Sarah- does thee know
her direction? We have had a nice
little visit from Patience Michem-
I had not seen her since she left
here, she has been teaching since
New Years at M Seal's school at Attleborough
Bucks [County], it is Vacation
now, is not going back as her parents
want her at home, she has gone to
[?] [?]- now- came to [meeting] with
them. on 6th day at, Belleview they had
a [underlined:Colloquy] on "The Past Present & Future
of Art Science & Religion". it was a grand
& beautiful thing the Past & Present were
composed [inserted: & written] by [underlined:Emilie] the future by William
they selected the pupils to recite & act
them--- I should like to have seen it.
Miss Towne says Major Stone spoke
very highly of your school, are
the people destitute there? Nancy
Pusey would send [?]- clothes
some of there now to the freedman,
if thee needs them- thee might as
well have them- I should think.
I have not seen Corson for a long
while. T Bartram is to take us.
[Envelope Writing]

Martha Schofield
Aiken
South Carolina