| Title: | O'Donnell, Annie to Phelan, James, 1902 |
|---|---|
| ID | 6254 |
| Collection | Your Fondest Annie: Letters from Annie O'Donnel to James P.Phelan [A. O'Donnell] |
| File | fondestan/17 |
| Year | 1902 |
| Sender | O'Donnell, Annie |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | children's maid |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Pittsburgh, Penn., USA |
| Destination | Indianapolis, Indiana, USA |
| Recipient | Phelan, James |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | friends |
| Source | |
| Archive | |
| Doc. No. | |
| Date | |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 552 |
| Genre | illness, possible visit, family |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Pittsburgh, Pa. Wednesday night [23? April] My dear Jim, We arrived here from New York on Friday morning last after one of the hardest nights I ever had on a train. I thought Ellen would never live to see Pittsburgh. She was feeling fine till the day we left New York when she complained on a pain in her side, but before we were very long on the train, dysentery was running its course coming to a pretty bad stage before morning. We had the doctor directly we come home. Mrs. Mellon then got a trained hospital nurse as Ellen seemed to be getting very weak and suffering actual agony. I thought several times she was dying, but thank the good Lord she is a little better tonight. It is hard while I write this to hear her whom I dearly love moaning in the next room. It has taken all my strength to keep up, for what shall I do if she leaves me? You know it is most remarkable in my case, ever since I can remember, if I have a happy time something is liable, in fact, bound to make turn up that will shatter all that happiness away, but I look at things as sent by Heaven and they will in their own time turn out perhaps for the best…! I have not seen any one my friends since I came home. Your picture was the only consolation I have had and sick as poor Ellen was, I showed it to her, but she said nothing. Tears spoke instead She breaks down completely as soon as I enter her room. Well, Jim, your picture is indeed fine. I am so pleased with it as it does a good deal more justice to you than the first. You have gotten very stout and look pretty near like 'that boy I addressed for the first time on the deck of the tender.' If I get the other two I won't promise to send them back, but I might give them to you when you come here. Now when this long promised visit is decided on, I am afraid there must be promises on both sides in regard to our correspondence, as your letters are presentable where mine are not I don't care who sees yours, but please burn them, for I never think twice and you get on paper exactly what I am. Still we will leave that aside for further consideration. I am glad to see by your letter that you at least think me unchangeable. Looks have not altered for the better, but I am whom time can never change and so few people understand, and if Ellen should become worse, then I am alone. I am sure the Brooklyn cousins will think I am not a lady of my word. I am ashamed to think I had to give up going each time I promised, but I cannot be blamed, for before I say a thing, [I] a m pretty near sure of carrying it out, be it ever so small. I hope they will understand. Well, dear Jim, [I] must now say good night and hope you will write me soon, for every letter is now appreciated to cheer me up and as ever I fondly remain Annie |
