Ellen M. Patrick letter to Martha Schofield

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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