Franklin County: E. to Edward McPherson, February
16, 1859
Summary:
E. writes of Cousin C's illness, but mostly discusses Edward McPherson's mother's
recent death. She also mentions the marriage of Lizzie Law and the declining
health of Jane Boggs.
February 16th, 1859
Frederick
Many thanks Dear Edward for your letter received in due
time & which should have been replied to before this, but your Cousin C
-- is still upstairs & of course, I have
many more interruptions than usual & my time more fully occupied. She is
better in some respects, but continues very weak, & has for some days
suffered much from nervous depression. She is however better today & has been sewing a little. Your letter, while it
saddened our hearts so much, was very satisfactory, for you told me nearly all I
wanted to ask you respecting our dear Aunt, who had been so continually
connected with us, all our lives, & with whom our intercourse has always been so sweet &
pleasant. I wrote to Kate as soon as she returned to
Hagerstown & she replied to me
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in a long &
interesting letter just after I heard from [added: you] But one thing has grieved us -- neither of you have said whether your
Mother thought or spoke of us during those last sad hours. You know it is very
gratifying to be remembered at such a time, while you can make all allowances
for such an omission under the circumstances. I thought it probable you both
might have forgotten to mention it. Truly, I cannot conceive of a more painful,
trying situation for you to be placed in, than you were, the evening of your
arrival in Gettysburg. I wonder it did not make you both sick.-- I am thankful
however it passed without any ill effects & that you were comforted by
the sympathy of so many attached friends as your dear Mother had, few have so
large a circle, for she made them wherever she went & retained them to
the last. She was greatly admired in her youth, & I think, was equally
as much so in later years, though in a different way. However pleasant &
gratifying this may be, it is a
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small matter compared to the
satisfaction of knowing, that she bore the image of Christ, having been "made
meet through his blood, for the inheritance of the saints in light," &
removed from the church militant to the church triumphant where I trust, strong
& divine grace she will be permitted to welcome her dear children. "One
thing is needful" My dear Edward & God is
teaching you this lesson by these sad dispensations nothing else will avail in
the last, trying hour. We all approve of your plan to continue at housekeeping -
it is just what I thought you would do -- you will be more comfortable than
boarding, having such a trusty, faithful person as Tresy. By the time you
receive this, Lizzie Law will in all probability have taken the most important
step of her life. You have never spoken of it to me. What do you think about it?
I wish I could feel entirely satisfied in relation to it, however, she is so
entirely confident of happiness herself, that no one else need disturb
themselves. She is so very dear to us, that we cannot help
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feeling a
more than common anxiety when her happiness for life is concerned. I have had
much this winter to keep me anxious about some of my friends -- Aunt Robinson
has been very delicate for some weeks past & a letter from Baltimore yesterday, tells me that my much loved young
cousin Jane Bogg, is declining very rapidly -- her health has been delicate for
more than two years, but for the last month, it has become evident that she will
not be much longer with us. But she is ripening for Heaven & this is our
comfort. I am very glad your Aunt Polly can be with you, you would be so
desolate. Your cousin C- desires me to say (in which we all join), that she
wants you to come to see us as soon as you can. We had a letter from Mittie a
short time ago, she is very much pleased with Chicago. My love to your Aunt -
& much love also to Mrs. McCreery & say how much I would like to
see her. I see Mr. Van Wycke is still with you. I cannot realize that there is
now but yourself to receive a message of love -- O how sad-- Do write us soon
& accept our united love--
Ever yours
E
