Martha Schofield letter to her sisters

Mills River 9.6.1885
2nd day a.m.
My dear Sisters,
I guess you will be
glad when this pad is done with, but
I read "ragged edge paper is fashionable"
and this is so easy to write on.
Yesterday I finished a letter to the Intelligence
which had been on my mind since the
commencement but that [underlined:pith] of that
interesting reason was in the letter I
sent to [?] and am sorry you did
not get, for I am sure to have said
something in it I shall think you know
if not called for it should have been
returned as the envelope was stamped, &
it may yet be in J.J. Cornells pocket [illegible]
let him read it & see what we share
has grain to it. I was very glad thee sent me
Miss Gibbons letter, Lizze S. used to show me
here she received & I was quite [?] in
her & am glad thee made something to let
her know how far home was. It was very
bright and I have no doubt will make, her
[underlined:think] often. It seems to me few girls

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[underlined: 2.]
realize what it [underlined:means] to mary [marry] and go
to England to [underlined:live]. All very fine at first
when they are [underlined:young], but that old [Conservative?]
County gets to be a hard pill for
an American born to swallow at last.
It is much more in the course of nature
for young people [underlined:there] too come to this
advancing civilization. They can fall
in with our ways & find congenial
habits much easier than going backwards.
Now I believe in equal rights, as much
as womans rights; and I felt quite indignant
the other day to read that
"Ms. [Sartores?] was going to England for
a short time & then return here to educate
her children, [General] Grant wanted them
brought up Americans" Is the father
to be ignored because the Grand father
was great, has the opinion of the latter
a right to rule if it is not in accordance
with the wishes of the [underlined:father]. Are they
to be separated from the man the
mother left her home [underlined:for], and who

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[underlined:3]

has a right, if he is a good husband
to keep awife and children with him.
To grow up without a father, so to be
"brought up [underlined:Americans"], and what will
they be when brought up. Will [underlined:they] be
willing to go back and take the place
of sons in a country not good enough to
bring them [underlined:up] in? Oh,yes, it was all
very fine to be a bride in the White House
and marry and Englishman, but quite
[true?] girls, American girls, were taught
to look beyond the honey man.
Can man and wife be one with the
Atlantic between them?
Sometime when thee [crossed out:asks] has a chance
ask Emma [?] (I came near
waking Lizzie Hains) about that pretty
haired Fanny Hillborn. There is
hardly time yet, but she met a man
abroad & has gone there to live. But
she had no faults & perhaps may [get?]
[settled?]. And then there was Mrs.

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[underlined:4]
Sanders, daughter. Oh, how fine when
the pretty young thing. ([?] [Pills?] first
cousin) married an Englishman , A cop
Oh! A COP, and then, she & all the
children had to join the Catholic Church
for his sake, and now, those who ought
to know, have no doubt she often wishes
herself Minnie Saunders again.
This Miss Gibbens, lost a brother & I
[underlined:think] there was only those two, well,
for my part. I wish there [underlined:was] men
enough in America for all the girls
in America, or rather, I wish girls were
brought up with the responsibility of
[underlined:voting], and then they would [underlined:learn]
that the true American life can only
be lived in American.
How is that for my patriotism? I dare
say we are any better than other nations
but I do say, we cannot make ancestors
descendents, and to keep a place in the

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[underlined:5]
March of progress we dare not go
back too often to fill our canteens, but
press forward to the future, caring more
for our principles than uniforms.
Make our young people love the Country
for its climate; its [?], its tendency and
opportunity to grow and its great human
heart throbbing with love of freedom in
the lowest as well as the highest.
Even the died General had too much
then and [?] for the good of the
[underlined:people]. Though [underlined:we honor], our homeage
should not be turned into a channel
for [underlined:one] only, until the flood of its
overflow leaves germs of moral [molaria?]
which some day will endanger other
lives. The writing for this nation is
already on the wall, but amid the
noise of drums and the dance of
green there is no time to read and
comprehend its meaning.

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[underlined:6]
Now, if an Englishman ever courts thee
my opinion is written out.
I thought Edith [Pierce?] was engaged and
[underlined:why] is [underlined:she] breaking down, but then here is
our pretty Miss [?], only 25 this
week, with a back that can't ride to Hendersonville
& back. I believe having ones
own way does it, they [underlined:want] [?] [?] things
& so put aside [underlined:Gods] way, which is the
laws of health, until it is done. The more
sincere Christians, sometimes spend hours
thinking holy thoughts, when they would not
stop a piece of [underlined:work] 10 minutes to rest when
they needed it. [?] to the shore of [?] &
any where else for health. I know too [many]
people now, that cant stand anything
accept when they want to .
Yesterday before [underlined:6] oclock Mary and Will
started off, with two horses & carriage, (Hollings
[?], brought out the night before) to Ashville
17 miles, reached there by 9.30 and soon a
after the train arrived with her mother and
brother. All went too [?] & at 3 left for
here, it rained some but all got here safely.

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7
by a little after 7 [?] come today
&, now there are are four happy people. I
am [underlined:pained], for I am always sorry
to see young men look as thin and
bad as Charly does. I like him, and
know that tough, Grand Mother Clara
will not last into the [underlined:third] grandson.
11 P.M.
I stopped to go down & eat [underlined:peaches]
they have plenty that will last till
November, trees loaded & now the
mail will soon go so with dear
love to all & [?]
affectionate
sister
[Martha] Schofield.

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[Envelope Writing]

Miss Elisa H. Schofield.
1420 Chestnut [Street]
Philadelphia
[Pennsylvania]

[writing on the left side]
Please return to C.J.F