| Title: | Stewart, Frances to Atwood, Annie, 1871 |
|---|---|
| ID | 4802 |
| Collection | Revisiting Our Forest Home, The immigrant letters of Frances Stewart [J. L. Aoki] |
| File | stewart/84 |
| Year | 1871 |
| Sender | Stewart, Frances |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | housewife |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Douro Township, Newcsatle District, Upper Canada |
| Destination | Gore's Landing, Ontario, Canada |
| Recipient | Atwood, Annie |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | friends |
| Source | |
| Archive | |
| Doc. No. | |
| Date | |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 694 |
| Genre | family, family life |
| Note | |
| Transcript | 1871: July 17 To Annie Atwood, Gore's Landing, Ontario Douro, 17th July 1871 My dearest Annie I am sure you think I have given you up as a correspondent so I think I will take up my pen and try to prove that this is not so. Besides, it is so long since any tidings [afar] from Rice Lake have reached me that I really do want to know how you all are. I suppose Mr. Atwood as all other farming gentleman is now busy at his harvest & I hope all his crops are turning out well. It is wonderful how well all seem in this neighborhood, notwithstanding the sad want of rain, which for a time made everything look brown & dried up & spoilt all the meadows so that hay will be very scarce this year. But the other crops all seem good tho' the straw is short.... Bessie was to have gone to spend some days with your dear mother on the following Sunday but little Harriet was taken ill with a feverish bilious illness which has been going through Kates family which put an end to poor Bees plans & anticipated enjoyment. The next week Mary Brown was laid down in the same way and so Bessie was again disappointed & now she don't know when she can go as Mary is far from strong & Bessie don't like to tax her strength too heavily by leaving all the responsibility & work of the household on her shoulders as she is still without a maid. It is impossible to get any now to come to a farm. They all hire in towns where they get $6 or $7 per month which is beyond dear Bessies means. It makes such a difference to her not having the farm. The [ ] (in produce) goes but a short way. Now her children are all grown into men & must have suitable clothing &c. But this farm is a perfect "show." It looks so nice & well doing. We have not a stump to be seen in the fields & all looks smooth & neat. Robert has indeed done his nephews justice in putting the land & fields all into the best order. I often wish it was not so far from all our friends, This is the only drawback for the house is most comfortable & convenient & the air pure & particularly healthful but we are sadly shut up from our friends & Society in general & during the last 18 months, since I have had no horse of my own, we seldom have a chance of going out except on Sundays. As Bee has not the farm I cannot afford to keep a horse, so I just manage to fill up my time between reading, writing, knitting, & sleeping. I am knitting a quilt, a great piece of work. I have not much sewing now so knitting takes its place. I wish you were able to write me one of your nice letters telling me about everything, your home concerns & cows, horses, sheep, pigs, & fowl, & also potatoes, wheat, &c. Have you had the "Potatoe Bug" & are your potatoes good. The fields are rapidly changing colour now. Today Rob't is reaping at a neighbors with his reaping machine. It [ ] much time & labour. He has a mowing machine also & does a great part of the work now by horse work more than man work. Kate is, I am very happy to say, very well. She is better than for three or four years back but is thin & not very strong but able to do all that she requires. She has an excellent servant which is a good help & thank Goodness! no baby on hand which is best of all. Now dear, Goodbye. My time is up, so forgive [ ] & with kind regards to Mr. A. & love to the children & other friends, Believe me as Ever Your fondly attached Mamma Stewart, FS If you see Jane Bird tell her we are looking out for her — love to them. |
