Franklin County: E. to Edward McPherson, May 3, 1859
Summary:
E. discusses friends and the Reverend Van Wycke. She also mentions the future
move of the Tylers and herself to Washington. She gives McPherson the requested
date of her mother's death.
May 3rd, 1859
Frederick
My Dear Edwd
After receiving your last welcome letter, I was not very well & for that
reason concluded to delay writing for a little while, then last week, Cousin
Susan B- & my friend Miss Coulson came & spent the week with
us-- Of course, my time was entirely devoted to them. Cousin had so recently
passed through another great sorrow, that all at home thought a little change
would be beneficial, & as Miss C, who is a special friend of hers, was
coming, they persuaded her into it & we were very glad to have her come,
& she appeared to enjoy it too -- yet it was her greatest pleasure to
talk of her precious child, to those who loved her as we all did. It rained the
greater part
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of the week they were here, which I regretted the more,
as it was Miss C's first visit, however as she is a very intelligent woman, she
enjoyed talking with Mr Tyler on subjects quite too deep for me. He is yet with
us, owing to his health, he had been unusually unwell for some weeks, though he
goes about as though nothing was the matter -- and as this is not the season for
business in Washington, he thinks it best to remain quietly here until he feels
better As we are now expecting Lizzie every day, he will wait to see her. He
cannot tell what arrangements he will make about us,
until he gets there himself, so that we feel somewhat unsettled. We had hoped to
see you before this, & I feel as if this letter may find you gone to
Hagerstown. I am glad to hear, there is, at least a suspension of hostilities in
your church. Did I not understand you to say Mr Van Wycke was going to leave?
But in the account of the meeting of Carlisle Presbytery I should judge he had
no idea of it. I really would think more
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of him, were he to do so
& I should think his best friends would feel in the same way. However,
as I am not acquainted with all the circumstances, I must not judge rashly.
Which of the Elders were so violent in their opposition? Well my greatest
comfort under all such discouraging events is, that "The Lord reigneth"
& loveth his church infinitely more than we can possibly do, & I
trust will overrule all for his own glory & the future good of your
church. I like to see a person uphold his pastor in times of difficulty, when it
can be done without a sacrifice of principle or duty. And we too often find that
these troubles arise from personal feeling caused by some imaginary affront. We
had a letter from Lizzie Howe about two weeks ago & were surprised to
find her Mother had been with her for five weeks, & not well at the time
she wrote. I suppose by this time she had returned to N. York. I cannot understand why they remain there, as E- dislikes it so
much & Mr M. has resigned his situation.
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I was at Col. McPherson's yesterday. All were well except him,
& he has been quite sick & is still in his room. Fanny returned
home on Sat. after an absence of three months. I
saw no one but Mrs. McP- Annie was out, &
I think you must be a prime favourite, as she always
talks so much about you in a way, that she is not apt to do, of others, for she
is generally reserved in that respect, so that I think you ought to feel highly
complimented. I should like very much to pay you a visit this summer & I
want to go to Thorndale also, if possible -- but I cannot say decidedly, until I
know more of our plans. When you get here, we will talk more about it. Mary
Newport is still in bed -- her general health is better, but she has an ulcer
that covers the whole stomach & it is a very deep sore, so you may
imagine the conditions of one so large & unwieldy as she is-- Poor
Lucretia had a hard time of it indeed I do not know what they would do without
her. Mr P- is still there, waiting contentedly for business to come to him. We are very sorry to hear you are not
well yourself-- I think if you come & breathe our mountain air &
drink our mountain water, you will be better. I rejoice to hear favourable accounts of Sarah & John.
I was very near closing, without giving you the information you desired. Mother died last day of Dec. 1845- thirteen years ago last Dec.
As I did not exactly understand how to direct, I will wait until I hear from you again
[At the top of the first page] I wish you could bring Sarah to see us in some of her vacations. My love to all friends-- Remember me to Tresy-- I suppose she has done all her housecleaning ask her if she does not wish to see me once more? All join me in much love to you. Come soon-
yours affecty
E
I ought to favour you more than any of my correspondents, as your letters will cost nothing
