Eliza H. Schofield and Mary H. Child letters to Martha Schofield

My Dear Sister, May 29th 1870
Tis the third day of
storm and cold so that our fire feels
very comfortable, & winter clothes are
in demand, and now at nearly
5 o'clock on First day P.M. it looks
just as dull a stormlike, with
the wind east- as it did early
6th day [morning] since which time
the sun has not been out. It
is a bad time for the Florida
invalids who arrived on 3rd day
[evening] last, previous steamer "Wyoming",
They seem some stronger, but
cannot tell whether it will be
[more?] than temporary. It must
have been a sad meeting for those
who have passed through such
deep sorrow since their parting.
How hard for the mother to return

[crosshatched writing]

Oh! Mart, "Midnight Cry" & "Millennium dawn" was
here
the
other
day.
Left two
of his
old papers
I cannot
find one
or would
send
it.

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to the spot when her darling was
ever ready to receive and welcome
her, to find her place vacant.
the beautiful face laid away
in the grave, the loving voice
hushed in death, the ever-
ready hand motionless & still.
These two have been so much
to each other, that great indeed
must be the void, left in the
mothers heart; But hers is the
faith that comforts the heart
in the belief on a blessed reunion
and a still constant companionship
here. But oh! the outward
presence, how hard it
is to do without that, to know
we shall never again clasp
our loved ones to our heart
not print out kiss upon their
lips.- Ah! How cruel is death.

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I received a nice letter from dear
Allie, last week,-and a day
or two after one from James.
They want me to spend next
winter, with, them. Allie had
mentioned it in a previous letter
& they renew it in these. Just
think Mart! It almost takes
[underlined:my] breath away to think of it.
But then what is the use, for
I dont suppose I can do it,
Mother says she cannot spare
me, but I am going to [underlined:live] in
it a little any how. Wilson's have
all gone to Edward's but Anna
who stayed with them. Wouldn't
it be so nice for me to be with
her, and James does hope I
will accede to their wishes.
I am reading "[?] the Continent"
& am crazy to go to Denver, [Colorado], think

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[underlined:we] will ever get there. By-the-
by, I was think to-day about
the White Mountains, what has
become of Evans,-poor, dear, brother
Evans, that I always liked
wonder if he can get as [?]
for a month.- I'm pining
for the [underlined:Mountains!!]
Oh! if only one could be blown
through [Juneumatic?] tubes (?
Intelligencer) as I expect we will
be some day, wouldn't we fly
around & see all the beautiful
places?
When is that old school house
to be built! Now dont let
it keep thee down there after
[?] is otherwise ready to come
home. I expect you begin
to think of it.--We have a
very nice English girl now
hope she will stay, she was
so nicely- [The?] letter from Lyd
say they got along nicely. I
guess they will have a good
[time?]. I am too awfully
tired to write any more
much love to [Jane?] & whose

[Crosshatched writing]

helps for thy [?] for long [embrace?] [Eliza H. Schofield]

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Darby [?] [?]
My Dear Mart
Not many more first days
I trust that our communication with
thee will have to be [through] the medicine
of the pen, but we hope [?] long, to talk
with thee face to face, of the things that
[underlined: have] been, of the things that [underlined:are] and
of those things [crossed out:that] which [underlined: are to come], wont
we all be glad [though]? if we are again favored
to meet with the chain of affection unbroken
, with hearts linked more closely
together as year after year takes its
flight into the ocean of oblivion, living
in memory on the past, improving the
present, and [woking] with the eye of hope
into the future, Finely then we ought
to make advancement in our spiritual
journey placeing landmarks on the road
that those who succeed us may know [crossed out: we]

[Crosshatched writing]

Mart I am glad
thee is ms- going
to answer letters
and those the [?]
[?] said she thought
she would write to
thee not to write to
them as they could
get the home ones
and she knows it
tires thee to
save thyself
as much as thee
can how does
Jennie stand it
in the weather too
warm for her well
I hope you will
soon be home how
we shall be so glad
to see you, in much
love off Mother & Aunt

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that we endeavored to follow in the
footsteps of the master, who spend his
time "continually in doing good"-
Eliza was in town yesterday Sallie
had a letter from Lydia they arrived safely
in New York, had a very small [?] [Meeting]
Jennie Bunting call'd on her and invited
her to go with her to dine but she declined
as she was going to the [Meeting] 6th day PM.
they were to go home with Aunt [Amy?] as [Yearly Meeting]
had closed and I hope they are now enjoying
themselves at Bay Side I hope they will
have a nice visit, it is such an effort for her
to go from home and I think the salt
bathing may be of great use to Howard.
The morning they left Sallie said she felt
home-sick so she and Harry came out and
spent the day, Samuel came to tea. Mart
I will just wisper in thy ear, that I think
thy sister Sallie is a model of a [underlined:wife]
and a [underlined:woman], it rejoices my heart that

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[underlined: my daughters] so grace their woman-
hood instead of living without any aim
in life as too many of the fair sex do
Thy letter of last 1st day we received 4th day,
so you have been on another trip, you
seem to be very independant, going where
no other [underlined:white ladies] go, not a bit afraid
of what the world will say of you, I am glad
that at all their celebration, the
color'd people behave so well, I believe
this has been universally the case.
Jousha Pearson brother to the girl ate
his breakfast went to the barn yesterday
morning some of them went out about
7 oclock and found him lying dead, lives
near [?]- Grace Bunting is very poorly
had several hemhorags [hemorrhages], the last one left of
my brides maids except sister E., I want
to go see her, but we have had it wet for several
days the sun severely been out since 5th day
- the green is very beautiful wish you

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could see our hill and fields, mix
in with your flowers they would be
splendid, our chickens are doing
nicely but no [underlined:calf yet] we are waiting
anxiously for the [underlined:baby] to come, that we
may enjoy the luxury of milk and cream
by the time [?] are plenty, Sallie
(kind creature) brought us two quarts they
were so nice- you are feasting on them
can you get cream too.
Lydia Price arrived last 3rd day
I believe Isaiah thinks she is a little
stronger, it must have been a sad
meeting when she got home.
Sadie was at [Meeting] this morning
asked if we got a letter from thee 4th day
did not get here all last week said they
were very busy cleaning house, so many
people are doing that, but I like to be done
before [Yearly Meeting], but there has been such a time
about Darby for girls this spring so many
gone that have lived at places a long time
and then it is so hard to get suited the one I
had I could not keep any longer, so we had old
Mary Carpenter for two weeks, faithful old creature
makes me think of Aunt Amy now we have
a nice little English girl of 22. Aunt is very well
if she will only be strong enough, the Robbins have
built in the Maple and are singing sweetly have
you many birds.

[Crosshatched writing on the right side]

Did thee get the paper last-week, Ellie [?] sent thee
the papers to [?] [?] [?]

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[Envelope Writing]

Miss Martha Schofield
Aiken
South Carolina