Abby Hopper Gibbons letter to Sarah Hopper Gibbons Emerson

New York Aug 1st 1873

My very dear daughter would like
a sight of the garden now. The [large?]
had covered with [Porte Lacca?] of every
color it [never?] looked so beautiful
[Scampy?] never crosses the picket
so that the mignonette in the centre
is important as well as the scarlet
geramine and other plants. The
morning glories are at the top of
the fever & beginning to bloom and
how lovely they are.

A letter from Lucy
tells us the dear baby is well, has
her eye [teeth?], and says everything
Julia had sent they address
to E. Ripley, and now I have
written about Miss Lombard
Things more are after the old [?]
Aunt Mary has just left with
the little Dula who came to pass
a couple of days with her beloved
before the latter goes to Beverly
Hames, which will be 4th day next

Thy first letter from St Aubin came
yesterday, we were growing impatient
to hear of thy safe arrival there
and what of the brother & sister among
the mountains & beautiful Lake. I
think we can get seeds of Egg plant
from Mr Sinclair & will try.
There is precious little stirring in
this region, but good health prevails
generally with our Clan. The
only exception being aunt Anna,
and accounts are favorable of [underlined] her [/underlined]
condition. Harvey Honer sent
a very affectionate note to Julia
a day or two since, saying how
thy letter delighted thy mother, [underlined] her [/underlined]
mother I mean. I wrote to her
after thee left, and altogether I
think she feels that we are near
in sympathy and help to make her
happy. The Diet Kitchen is an
immense comfort to the poor, and
grows in favor as it becomes known
all have been invited, and we
rejoice in the fact that no article
has been misapplied

I have finished the Schonberg Cotta family and am
deep in "God Kensington". I hope thee found
"A Charmed Acquaintance" and wonder if thee
has enough reading, sewing &c of our thing I am
sure that a store if permits are in thy [trunks?]
and will fill up odd times. We have a most
satisfactory girl in the Kitchen, indeed she is far
[underlined] up [/underlined] & [underlined] down [/underlined] during August, and fulfils all
her duties and gives us peace & contentment.
She likes to stay at home, reads, thinks Little
homes "lovely, and is familiar with all the
characters, and strange as it it may seem, I
[?] she will stay long, as it has been her way.
She is nice to Miss Cleavelands woman who has
lived with them 12 years. Julia has a hope
of her not to be crushed, so that order reigns
and we shall look forward to a prosperous
auction

My room has been unoccupied ever
since thee left it, it is clean as a
new pin, and kept shut up, save
upon a cool shady day when the
fresh air is allowed to enter.
Julia keeps thee posted about the
Cobb family here, and yonder at
Barnstable, we miss them more
than I can tell. Susie Cobb
was here today. Willie has been
off with his Father, and upon
the whole a brighter picture is presented
than before thee left.
Susie seemed very happy to find
little Dula here and they had a
good time together.

Thy Father talks
of going to Croton tomorrow to
stay over first day, he is in very
good condition, as well as his
Master "[underlined] Camp [/underlined]" who has him under
excellent [description?], he
passes part of every evening on
the door step, and so do our
neighbors, oh dear

It is dinner time, and I fear
orders to appear, but we hold
on that letters may be mailed in
season, and when they are to our
absent daughter, we are allowed
an extension. Julia runs off
to the "Station" even though dinner
is on the table. She is very well
and while she must go to Beverly
for her own sake & others too
she rather dreads going from
home. [Mrs Wetnore?] is
almost a daily visitor, and
all things are working together
for good.

Did I tell thee our
[underlined] Homers [/underlined] went to [? Harbor]
or an examiner & [? ?]
it was a perfect success.
Miss Pearson is a jewel she
and a Miss Jarvis went and
a Police officer who made
himself of the party, and was
gentlemanly & kind, while
thee tells us letters will not
come so often, do not let them be

be too few and far between, for they are welcome
messages from our beloved,
and not with near
and dear love
thy mother