Elizabeth (Woodberry) Story to Elizabeth (Abbot) Bowditch, 17 February 1880

[From Elizabeth (Woodberry) Story in Somerville, Massachusetts, to Elizabeth (Abbot) Bowditch. She says she sent two bundles of goods by mail, and asks if she could send a larger barrel of goods by freight; says the rest of the blue flannel she wanted to get for Georgiana's dress was unavailable, so she got blue and black plaid instead, and includes suggestions for using it; tells about her son Isaac changing jobs; and asks what she and her husband think about the idea of moving west.]

Somerville Feb 17, ‘80

My Dear Sister,

I sent you last week two bundles which I hope you have received by this time by mail, also a letter. I hope soon to get a letter from you, perhaps even before you get this, but write now to ask you, if I should send a barrel as freight to Marion, N. C., if you could get it from there and if you could write to the Depot Master at Marion to take care of it and to send you word when it arrives so that you could send for it. I could send you a letter when it started but Freight is sometimes delayed on the road, if there happens to be much to carry, so that it might not reach Carolina as soon as my letter. Whether you have written to me or not I want you to answer this and then if it is so I can, I think that will be a better way to send than by mail. That to be sure is pretty convenient and safe, but the bundles must be small as they don't allow but 4 pounds in one bundle.

I went into Boston yesterday for the first for six weeks and tried to pattern the flannel for Ga.1 dress. I could not. Every piece I saw was darker so I got a few yards of bleu & black plaid and I think she can make it up with that. Almost all the dresses now are made of two materials. I thought she could make short breadths gored, and then put a flounce of the plaid on the bottom, have the breadths of bleu, then make a blouse or sack of the plaid and belt it down. The sleeves of bleu as they are already cut, or rather were cut for the shirt, and I thought she could get her sleeves out of them if she lengthend them down by cuffs of the plaid. I hope she will be able to get it out and I think she will.

If I send the barrel I have got two or three hats of Isaac M.2 that I think may do for your boys, and a great coat, too late for much use this year but it will work in nice next winter.

My last boy2 is about leaving home. Isaac expects to go the last of the week to Philadelphia to take some position, which has been offered him on the Pennsylvania R Road. He has been Assistant Engineer on the Lowell & Boston road ever since he left school, but there is little hope of much advance here and so he goes where he hopes in time to take a more advanced position.

I hope dear Lizzie you are getting along as comfortably as can be expected after so great a disaster and I hope too you keep up a good heart. "Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee, & thou shalt glorify me." Can you not take this for your text and God will surely fulfill His part of it. God bless you dearest.

Your Sister Lizzie

I send a sheet of paper for fear you might have to delay an answer. I dare say you will not get this much before your birth day, which I always remember. I send a kiss for that.

Love to all. Write me what you think and what Mr. Bowditch3 thinks about going west.

  1. Georgiana Abbot Bowditch (1848-1927), Elizabeth (Abbot) Bowditch's daughter
  2. Isaac Marion Story (1855-1918), Elizabeth (Woodberry) Story's son
  3. Joseph Henry Bowditch (1818-1900), Elizabeth (Abbot) Bowditch's husband