Eastville, [Virginia] Nov. 19th 1865
Well old fellow, aren't you ashamed to write me such mites of letters, and so unsatisfactory! But I have no time to scold. Capt. Pride has been absent on business in Norfolk, but I have had a telegram from him saying he had orders from Gen. Howard [Oliver Otis Howard] and would attend to Mr. Fisher Monday (tomorrow). Pride is behaving very well now. Dr. Sidney has been truly kind and polite. We have had one or two such pleasant visits from him and his friend, Dr. Brower [Daniel Roberts Brower, 1839-1909] the Med. Inspector of Va. here on a visit. It was quite a "Sunray" to meet with an agreeable gentleman, especially to poor Susie [Sue Henry Mitchell/Michel, 1847-1940], who hadn't seen a bean before for months.
While I was away Sat. evening Old Meers came here with gun on his shoulder, ostensibly to see if the "boss" was still in place, but walked all over the garden, lots, yard, counted chickens and turkeys and after so long a time sauntered off. Old Fisher has been showing your telegram to him all over town, and laughing at it. So Sidney tells me. Sidney has been out and vaccinated the babe. Sue and I rode down to take our last look at Pembroke and the bay-shore.
We do not say we are going so soon. As you made no reply about "river route" I made inquiries from Dr. Brower. [H]e says there is no line now on [the] Potomac, so I am sorry to say we will have to go thro' Batlimore. There will be a vessel in Tuesday, to which I think I can sell the potatoes.
I do hope "Doctor" can be reserved [recovered] from Old F. tomorrow, and tho' Dr. Sidney has put a horse at my disposal, I had of course rather have my own. I will be so very busy now that ten days will soon pass. Only think just ten days more! Good night, Mary
[Mary Louisa Mitchell Binckley at Eastville, Virginia, to John Milton Binckley at Washington City, November 19, 1865.]
Original manuscript in the John Milton Binckley Papers, 1816-1943. Library of Congress Manuscript Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. This is my rough transcription.
Many thanks to William Myers for sending scanned copies of the documents from the Binckley papers, and also to Mary Davy and Sally Young for their assistance.
Well old fellow, aren't you ashamed to write me such mites of letters, and so unsatisfactory! But I have no time to scold. Capt. Pride has been absent on business in Norfolk, but I have had a telegram from him saying he had orders from Gen. Howard [Oliver Otis Howard] and would attend to Mr. Fisher Monday (tomorrow). Pride is behaving very well now. Dr. Sidney has been truly kind and polite. We have had one or two such pleasant visits from him and his friend, Dr. Brower [Daniel Roberts Brower, 1839-1909] the Med. Inspector of Va. here on a visit. It was quite a "Sunray" to meet with an agreeable gentleman, especially to poor Susie [Sue Henry Mitchell/Michel, 1847-1940], who hadn't seen a bean before for months.
While I was away Sat. evening Old Meers came here with gun on his shoulder, ostensibly to see if the "boss" was still in place, but walked all over the garden, lots, yard, counted chickens and turkeys and after so long a time sauntered off. Old Fisher has been showing your telegram to him all over town, and laughing at it. So Sidney tells me. Sidney has been out and vaccinated the babe. Sue and I rode down to take our last look at Pembroke and the bay-shore.
We do not say we are going so soon. As you made no reply about "river route" I made inquiries from Dr. Brower. [H]e says there is no line now on [the] Potomac, so I am sorry to say we will have to go thro' Batlimore. There will be a vessel in Tuesday, to which I think I can sell the potatoes.
I do hope "Doctor" can be reserved [recovered] from Old F. tomorrow, and tho' Dr. Sidney has put a horse at my disposal, I had of course rather have my own. I will be so very busy now that ten days will soon pass. Only think just ten days more! Good night, Mary
[Mary Louisa Mitchell Binckley at Eastville, Virginia, to John Milton Binckley at Washington City, November 19, 1865.]
Original manuscript in the John Milton Binckley Papers, 1816-1943. Library of Congress Manuscript Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. This is my rough transcription.
Many thanks to William Myers for sending scanned copies of the documents from the Binckley papers, and also to Mary Davy and Sally Young for their assistance.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Commentaires