Abbot/Bowditch Family Letters

Sallie Darlington to Elizabeth (Abbot) Bowditch, 1858

[From Sallie Darlington to Elizabeth (Abbot) Bowditch. She asks about and sends love to Elizabeth's family and various friends in Tarboro, and says she had been dreading the winter after her fingers had been frosted the previous year, but hasn't had a problem.

This is a single sheet, written front and back. It appears to have been originally a 16 by 10 inch sheet, folded in half to make four 8 by 10 inch pages, and that through wear the two halves became separated. The first two pages are missing. The signature at the bottom right looks like it starts "Sa," and that it would have extended slightly onto what would have been page one of the letter. From the handwriting, it was clearly written by Sallie Darlington. From the content, it was probably written during the winter, early in 1858. (She spent the winters of 1854-55 and 1855-56 with Elizabeth in Tarboro, and in the letter notes that her fingers had been "frosted last winter," that she had been dreading the current winter, and that her father had improved the heating in the house for her, implying it was her second winter back north. She also says to "give Master Jo Henry a kiss from me," and Elizabeth's son Joseph Bowditch was born 10 January 1858.)]

would take the trouble to come and see me as none of my other Tarboro friends had done so. (Tell Mr. Bowditch¹ I mean him particularly in that allusion.)

Please give my kindest regards to the ladies at the Rectory (as I suppose Mrs. Parkers² may be called) and also to Mr. Cheshire.³

I am very glad to hear Mrs. Owen's⁴ school is flourishing. Please give her my love and tell her I have not forgotten that she promised me a visit too. Is Miss Hollister still teaching at the Academy, and what has become of Miss Fisher?

The papers say the weather is unusually cold in the South. Is it so with you, and how are Mr. Bowditch's hands? I expected when cold weather came my fingers that were frosted last winter would trouble me again, but they have not in the least, though I have been very careful not to let my hands get cold. As I dreaded the winter here so much, I took every precaution to guard against the cold, and dress much warmer than ever before. Pa⁵ also went to some trouble to have the warming arrangements in the house more complete than heretofore on my account, so that, although the weather has been most exceedingly cold, I have never been the least troubled by it. Tell Mr. Bowditch that I hear the children say, who have frosted feet from sledding, that they cure them entirely by bathing them with Muriatic Acid; if he is still troubled, it would be worthwhile to try it as it is easily to be procured. I bathe Walter's⁶ feet with it very often, whenever they get touched with frost, and it appears to relieve him entirely for the time, until he gets them frosted again.

Give my love to Georgiana⁷ and Nat.⁸ I think I shall write to Nat some day, if it won't shock his propriety to receive a letter from a lady.

We are having an account of our Sunday School anniversary printed in a pamplet, and I shall send one to Georgiana when they are out.

Give Master Jo Henry⁹ a kiss from me, that I would very much like to give in person. I can imagine Catharine making a very good nurse and do not doubt you will find her invaluable.

How are Malvina and [__?__]? Does the latter sigh over the cold weather. Does Wiley walk yet? If he does not take care, Master John¹⁰ will beat him yet in that accomplishment.

I have scribbled you a terrible looking letter and do not feel half through either, but must stop for the present. Do not let this remain so very long unanswered. However, if you do, I shall not wait so long for you again. But write.

Affectionately, Sa

 

Copyright Charles Towne. Usage of this work is licensed under Creative Commons BY-NC 4.0
Compiler: Charles Towne

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