Catherine Robinson Keese letter to Abby Hopper Gibbons

Peru Village 3/6th 1858

My Beloved Friend

I have not been unmindful of
thy very previous letters, or the sight of thy well known
hand writing, was almost like a call from thine own dear
self, but have been considering and inquiring concerning
the disposal of dear Julias protege and hoped to find
a home for her which I know would suit you right
well. My own hands are so full with the little one I took
five years ago, that even if our circumstances admitted
it could not be so well to have the two together, and I
fear, could James see our Bell, he would come to the conclusion
that CR Keese had lost the art of training, tho'
in justification of myself I could reply that in all my
intercourse with childhood, I never knew of but one
instance in which human nature reigned from "tip to toe"
so exclusively. There are two families in which I think
the benefit might be mutual, could they be prevailed
upon to take your little charge on in our own vicinity
our cousin's Parnelia and Jeminah Kase who with their
brother keep house very delightfully, and who have so
much the charge of their own affairs, that a child
living with them would necessarily soon become
initiated in all the mysteries pertaining to household

[sideways along left margin]
beautiful with such [?] hers at our [?] county will
allow to grow. I cannot invite thee to such floral beauty as
grace dear Willie's parlor, but as warm welcome would thee
and thine ever receive from the heart [crossed out: of] thy sincerely attached [friend]
C.R. Keese

Megg. two miles in a warm message of love.

[sideways along right margin, written later: C Keese]

things, and the girls, were it not for their brother, would
be entirely willing to open their doors, but on his account
they do not empower me to write as I begged they
would. Then they have a sister at Saratoga, Eliza
Ann Shepherd whom I wanted to see before I wrote
thee, and as we were on the eve of leaving [before?] thy
letter arrived to attend our Quarterly Meeting held
at Glenn's falls, expected to have the opportunity. In
this we were not disappointed, and as the sleighing
continued good, resolved to accompany her to her home.
Our stay there was very short, and she seemed with
her husband to think favorably of my proposition, but
did not come to any conclusion, thinking I suppose there
was no hurry. They [write?] probably some of them be [down?]
to attend the Yearly Meeting, it would be a grand good
home for any little wayfarer, if Eliza [?] had only
more confidence in her own training powers I think there
would be no hesitating. Their address is [William R Shepherd]
Quaker Springs Saratoga [County] N.Y. this information
is not as decided as I would like, but I think the value
of the situation for the child would be worth a pretty strong
effort, and that my dear friend thou art admirably
qualified to make. They are consistent practical abolitionists.
We were gone from home eleven days and
had a very favorable journey through the wildest seeming

thou could imagine a strong contrast to the summer
rain, but very beautiful is the Adirondack range in its
winter costume. The surroundings of Lake Paradox
[?] and George it seems to me would stand unrivalled.
To our John [?] Annie and cousin Pamelia
Keese who never traveled the route in winter, mostly going
by [railroad], it was beautiful with all the charm of
novelty. I found many letters awaiting our arrival
time. A note from dear Lizzie with the California
budget informs she is now making a visit at Charles
Bunting's, she and dear sister Annie appear very happy
together and I hope they will not always be subjected
to such uncongenial surroundings. Jen and Susan
have had a trying winter, the death of their beautiful
daughter, so sudden, was succeeded by sickness among the
remaining children, and it was very material for them
to dread the result in all, so entirely unlooked for, was
the shock, which deprived them of their darling boy. When
fine unsullied infancy is gathered to the fold, we
greatly feel the necessity of all the consolations which
we may gather of what they have escaped, and what the
eye of Faith believes them in the enjoyment of, but
though not a mother, my dear friend, I can appreciatively
feel how much more severe is the dispensation when

the character of more mature loveliness is established
and the young man stands forth, bold in the countenance
of night, and as firm in the rebuke of wrongdoing.
Such was Willie, and I can readily see in his removal,
the dreary vacuum in the hearts of each and all,
that your beautiful home is disrobed of a very powerful
charm; lovely, promising, strong, a beautiful
jewel in the kingdom of the Master! though
a heavy grief may always be at thy heart, thou
wilt love to think of what he was to thee, to you
all. I have rejoiced, dear Abby, that you have none
of you, in the abandonment of grief, turned a deaf ear
to the many claims upon your talents and your time
which the suffering world demands, that your sympathies
are yet keenly alive for the parentless and the
poor. Give my love to thy dear husband, and
darling daughters, whom I can hardly yet realize
as any other than dear little girls, in this message
my dear husband warmly joins, many times has
he asked me to read thy letter, and wept at its perusal.
Thanks for thy wish that we may enjoy a happy life.
We should be very happy, perhaps too much so, were
it not for the pressing cares of time which unfortunate
investments have greatly increased, but our home
is very pleasant and my dear husband is making