| Title: | Isabella Allen, New York to Andrew Marshall, Belfast. |
|---|---|
| ID | 38 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Allen, Isabella/108 |
| Year | 1838 |
| Sender | Allen, Isabella |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | housewife |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | NYC, USA |
| Destination | Belfast, N. Ireland |
| Recipient | Marshall family |
| Recipient Gender | male-female |
| Relationship | daughter and sister |
| Source | D1558/1/2/37: Presented by the late F.D. Campbell Allen, Esq., 15 London Road, Harrow-on-the-Hill, Middlesex |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland |
| Doc. No. | 9803629 |
| Date | 24/10/1838 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 27:03:98. |
| Word Count | 1704 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | New York October 24th 1838. My dear [Mon?] We are still in the Carleton house and have not fixed any day for our journey southwards, there is nothing to hurry us and our present intention is to remain as long as we find it agreeable we will probably however not spend another week. The Liverpool packets of the 13th and 25th are reported in and I am all anxiety to hear if there be letters. The one would be directed for Augusta and it is but unlikely that we may be able to get it out here; it will certainly be very promising. One vessel has arrived in 24 days. She must have had a eventful passage. William is gone to Mr Lord's office to make inquiries and try to bring me some news from home. Yesterday was his birthday (I mean the day before) and I hope his Mother reminded or told you of it so that you might drink his health. To celebrate so important a day Mr Bruce and Corbitt dined with us here and in the evening we all went to the theatre to see Power perform in the White horse of the Pippers. The house was crowded and the performance excellent. I was almost bursting into one of England at Power's representation of an Irish guide without caricaturing it he acted it to the life. A. Mr Plaide played the part of a Irishman uncommonly well. The theatre is very tastefully decorated and the scenery very good. I was altogether very much pleased and delighted. Tomorrow evening will be Miss Sheriffs Benefit and we must go to hear her in the National. Our life since I wrote has been (compared with that of the six or seven previous weeks) very quiet. Miss Corbitt has unfortunately been laid up with a severe cold so that I have deprived of her society. Mr and Mrs Brown have again started on their travels and are in Boston for a few days that trip we before for sparing when while we are waiting for the sailing of a vessel. We may have some spare days. Mr Bridends on his return going to the South as far as New Orleans whether we will have his company I do not know. The mode of travelling in this country is not so favourable to your becoming acquainted intimately with your fellow passengers. Many meals at the public tables, having no private sitting room where you can become sociable and enjoy conversation after the fatigue of the days journey in fact being separated except when in the stage are great drawbacks to social intercourse but have the advantage of allowing you to see the manners and habit of the people of the country. Mrs Brown and I (whether it was owing to awkwardness or to stiffness of manner on her part, or to both) were not much better acquainted when we parted than when we met. I know little of her and she less of me I think with an Irishwoman. I would have been much sooner familiar and our hearts warmed to each other more. I suppose on my next journey I will have no female companion but I must do without. William's former fellow traveller to Augusta Miss Dillon paid us a visit. She is now Mrs Besmoyth married to a man retired from business and seemingly very comfortable. She is very lively and I hope to see more of her. Mrs Besmoyth and Miss Whyte [White?] called on us we have returned the visit and have heard no more of them. This day is pouring rain. Another storm and will not clear I am sure till night so I may feel contented in the house. I sit in my own room except at mealtimes where I descend to look about me and pass by remarks on keen women and manners. The ladies here in gaiety far surpass the Dublin belles walking up Broadway between two and three O'clock. I look in amazement at the crowds of elegantly and expensively dressed ladies. They are beginning to near never muffling but when first came they were in summer costume I think judging from the piece of articles of clothing and finery hose some of them must spend fortunes on dress. They are mostly pale and very thin with a good deal of the French air and style. In the theatre however I was surprised to see bonnets almost universal in the boxes and scarcely any one in dress. I fancy some of the fashionable were present. On Sunday we went to the Unitarian Church (which has not established ministers at present) and heard the Rev. C.S. Garrett the colleague of Dr. Channing, he gave us a most beautiful discourse, beautiful in continents [contents ?] language his delivery is very peculiar but pleasing at times calm and quiet but becoming when necessary empassioned and energetic. He is a middle aged man, plain in appearance. The congregation seemed large and respectable. At 3 October we went to Grace Church where Mr Whyte [White?] had offered us his pew and heard a very indifferently read service and a worse delivered mediocre sermon. The evening we spent quietly reading, employed in the same way as I daresay you were at home. I wonder if Lizzy is home yet. I hope she has enjoyed her excursion. How is Knowly [Frances Knowles?] getting on tell her I expect to see the scrape of a pen from her some of these days and must not dare to disappoint me. I suppose Rosa and Alida are busy with Liquor however I was reading some of Dante this morning and thinking of last winter and its studies. I dont [don't?] think we will be very studious while here. Being on a visit at Augusta we will not have our time at our own disposal. I am very glad I am to be in a private instead of a boarding house and my only fear is that Mrs Campbell may find me too great a tax and be glad to get rid of me. I will be glad to get to a piano again I have had no music or practice except when [----?] up while working at [------?] to myself while William is wandering about here and there and leaving me deserted to pine out my little life dont [don't?] you pity me? I estimate you reckon I have no need of pity and I guess not what you think as I have nothing but nonsense to write I may as well lay down my pen for the present and I calculate dear [Mon?] you are right. William is reading to me the Letters from Palsnyea which are quite delightful you should get them if you have not done so already. Rosa tells me you are busy at my table. I see here bead Patterns gilyore [galore ?] and when we are returning if we be all well I will endeavour to get some pretty ones for you. It seems possible to get every thing here if you have the money but you must have a good supply of that commodity. I am beginning under Mr Antorage to be able to count dollars cents for shillings and pences but unfortunately in the South the currency changed [torn] all my knowledge will be of little avail. But I thought I was to stop scribbling for today so I will and with love to all great and I will not forgetting Uncle and Aunt Drummond I remain your ever attached but most melancholy most sorrowful most nonsensical Isabella Allen alias Marshall Thursday evening. William returned saying that the Southern mails had gone on and that the Shakespeare would in all probability not bring letters so we sat down to read and before dinner we went on a final trial he came back looking quite grave and unconcerned and after keeping me in suspense he produced Rosa's long and delightful letter. Though the news was older than that of the one brought by the Boyd William it was not the less interesting. I am glad you were all so gay after we left and I hope the winter may continue so. Hallowe'en is coming close. I cannot believe it is a year since Poy and I were writing the letters and Alida helping us with the Apple pie. Will Willaim get the Rings this time. I hope so much that they may predict more truly than before that is in case the lady is worthy of him. If I am in any place where I can have a quiet fireplace I will [----?] all boyfriends and he buy each epistle send them the results of the conflagration. I may go out on my tracks again but wherever I am I will be in thoughts in Wellington Place and I daresay Campbell will be there too. He desires me to leave him room to sign his hand so I must leave him a corner. He was highly indignant at Rosa's taking it for granted that he was happy and styling him my happy partner dont [don't?] let her commit such an error again. I was amused in reading yesterdays letter at Poy's pictures of my enjoyments on board ship. The last day of the honeymoon when she fancies my enjoying myself was the day I took fairly to my berth and almost thought I might be thrown overboard without making an effort to save myself. But I had some delightful evenings and nights and I hope returning I may have some more. It is too long to talk of the homeward passage it will be glorious when it comes and time is passing rapidly on. Campbell waits to finish and take this to the office so once more I laid a very large portion to say here for my Mon, Rosa, Alida, Margaret, John, Bella, Andrew James and family, William [------?] whom you may tell that I did not jump into any sharks [-----?]. Andrew & Aunt, my Mother inform all whom it may concern and with the warmest affection William & myself Your attached and loving daughter Isabella |
