Rosalie De Wolf Hopper letter to Abby Hopper Gibbons

[written later: Rosa]

West Randolph. Aug 23rd/64

My dear sister.

Thy letter, received
yesterday, was very welcome.
We were very glad to hear such
encouraging accounts of Maria.
Willie is [underlined] about [/underlined] well. There is still
a little swelling under his left
ear, but he has an excellent
appetite, seems strong and is in
good spirits. Yesterday afternoon,
Mr. Hutchinson offered us his horse
and wagon and Julia, Willie and
I drove to W. Randolph. The air
was soft & pleasant, and it was
an agreeable change. The days are
long and monotonous. The only
events are the arrival of the letters,
and the meals. Will is always
the first one at table. Mr. H is
getting quite fond of him.
Little Manny Gag is certainly a
[underlined] very [/underlined] attractive child. Even Julia

[left side]

has been conquered. She is very funny
& bright. The other day she
got furious with her mother
and called her "[underlined] a mean old ass [/underlined]."
Her legs are as immense
as every. She is the pet of the
neighborhood. Sarah Gay is
[underlined] wonderfully [/underlined] better. I think there
is a good deal of danger of their
making a chronic invalid of her,
but perhaps not. Lizzy is very kind
and [underlined] very [/underlined] entertaining. I understand
exactly what Sally said
of the advantages of being with her.
Anna Curtis is very attentive
and kind too. I think now
we shall have here the latter
part of next week or the first
of the week after, and go to
Milton for two or three weeks.
We could not stand it here after
the Gays leave. We had
thought of going to Milton by
way of Albany, but we hear

[right side]

that the journey will probably
be more [?] & more expensive,
and so expect to go back to N. Y.
and stay there a night. I told
Willie yesterday about Sarah's having
left. He looked astonished
but took it quickly as is his
wont with inevitable things.
He asked me about Mary Ann,
and when I told him she would
probably have, he said "Why
this is awful," but his spirits
were not perceptibly lessened and
I think Colbert will make
amends for all. He feels great
sympathy for Colbert and wrote
him a very nice letter. I enclosed
it to Sue with directions [underlined] not [/underlined] to give
it until Colbert should hear from
thee. Sue writes that things go
on nicely at the house. I received
a beautiful letter from Susie Lesley
the other day. It is one of the loveliest
that has come to me.
Julia received one this morning
from Sarah Thayer. It was written
at Northampton, but she is going
to Boston in a few days. I was

glad to hear from Lucy's letter
that [William Henry] had been to Beverly.
I had a few lines from him
and from Annie while he was
at Milton. Annie says that she
was "very, very ill," but is now getting
better. I dreamed of going to
church last night, but John was
with me. Oh, how hard, how
terrible it is! Will it [underlined] ever [/underlined] be
any easier, less terrible? Only
five weeks ago yesterday, and
it seems five years. How lonely
and desolate life seems. I long
for regular duties, and mean
to work hard as much as I can.
Give love to Sally and Lucy, &
kindest remembrances to Dr
Wagner. Willie sends a sweet
[boxed] kiss [/boxed]. Always thy loving sister.
Rosa

I had almost forgotten to copy this
[?] for thy benefit. It is from the
Christian Inquirer, copied into the
Liberator. "Minist’ring with courage saintly,
Where the heart of man would quail,
There is many an Abby Gibbons,
Many a Florence Nightingale."