| Title: | Mary Cumming, Petersburg to Margaret [Craig, Lisburn?]. |
|---|---|
| ID | 792 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Cumming, Mary/40 |
| Year | 1814 |
| Sender | Cumming (n. Craig), Mary |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | middle class housewife |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Petersburg, Virginia, USA |
| Destination | Lisburn, Co. Antrim, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Craig, Margaret |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | sisters |
| Source | T 1475/2 p122-125: Copied by Permission of Miss A. McKisack, 9 Mount Pleasant, Belfast. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9405204 |
| Date | 17/11/1814 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 09:05:1994. |
| Word Count | 1410 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Blandford, Nov. 17th 1814. It is a long time, my beloved Margaret, since I wrote to you, my last letter was dated in July, which I hope you have received long since; about a fortnight ago I got three letters from Ireland, one from my dear Rachel, another from Mary Cumming, and one from James. I thought I would have had one from my dear Margaret as Rachel mentioned you had written. If you sent yours by the same conveyance it has not yet come to hand, but I hope I may yet receive it, as I would be very sorry one of your letters should be lost. I was uneasy at not hearing from you during the summer, as there were several arrivals; I believe I got all the letters you and my Father wrote during the winter, his last was dated in March. I would have written to my dear Margaret long before this time, but my health for these two or three months has been so bad I could not bear to write till I recovered a little. I have now the happiness of telling you I shall soon be quite well. I gain strength every day, and was able yesterday to walk to Mrs. Freelands. You will also be delighted to hear my dear Mr. Cumming is, and has enjoyed uninterrupted good health during the Summer and Fall, indeed I never saw him look better than he does at present. I believe I mentioned in my last our intention of leaving this place during the sickly season, this we would have done, but as I expected to be confined in September, I could not think of leaving home, and returning again just at the most unhealthy time in the year, which would have been worse than if we had not gone away, and I thought by taking great care of myself I would get over the Fall in tolerable health, but I have been sadly disappointed. I was not well during the Summer, but was still able to go about, the fever and ague I have never got completely quit of, which troubled me a good deal in the Spring and Summer; though not a dangerous, it is the most disagreeable complaint I ever had. The last Summer was the warmest almost ever remembered in this place, and you may be sure I felt it most sensibly. About the middle of September I was taken with what they call a bilious colic which confined me a few days and on the eleventh I lay in, but my dear Sister, I grieve to tell you, my darling baby never breathed, it had been dead for a few days before, owing perhaps to my weak state of health. After all I had suffered and all the schemes of happiness I had planned, to be thus deprived of my sweet child was almost more than I could well support. I was taken immediately after with the same kind of bilious fever that I had last year which confined me in July to my bed for five weeks. I was very ill but with the best advice and attendance I have at length got over the disease, and I hope to enjoy tolerable health during the winter. Good health, such as I once had I do not expect to have till I have been to dear Strawberry Hill. How often I have longed to enjoy the sweet healthy breeze that you have in that blissful little place. You do not know half the blessings you all enjoy. My little baby was another daughter, this was what I wished it to be. 0h, my dear Sister, I can hardly help repining at losing these two little angels, but I shall try to be resigned, and hope for happier days. What keeps up my spirits much better then they would otherwise be is the unremitting kindness and attention of my dear William, indeed, Margaret, unless you were in the house with him you would not know how very affectionate he is to me. He gratifies me in all my wishes, and as soon as he possibly can will take me home to you again. Our days glide on in peace and quietness and if I was once more with you I should be completely happy, I think. I do not believe a physician from Ireland would know how to treat the complaints which we have in this part of the country. For my own part, I think the severe remedies they are obliged to make use of are almost as bad as the diseases themselves, bleeding, blistering, salivating, are three of the most favourite cures for bilious complaints. All three I had the pleasure of experiencing this Fall. The two first are nothing, but if I had an eneny on whom I wished to inflict a most severe punishment I would order them to be salivated. For a fortnight you would hardly have understood what I said, my mouth was in such a state, but unless they tell me nothing else will keep me alive never shall they stuff calomel down my throat again, just as if it was magnesia. However, I believe it partly saved my life, for nothing but powerful medicines will do for the complaints incident to this climate. Adieu to this subject, I have dwelt too long on it. I wish I had something amusing to tell my dear Margaret. Well, as I have got nothing better at present I will tell you what kind of weather we have just now. I have been out riding in Major Taylor's carriage this morning, and enjoyed the little excursion very much, I assure you the roads are about half a foot deep with dust, not a cloud to be seen (which is generally the case during this month) and at twelve o'clock the day as warm as any you have felt in April. So you see every place has its advantages. The woods are the most beautiful object at this season I can conceive. I think the colouring of the trees more beautiful than ever in Ireland. As usual, my good and kind friend, Mrs. Freeland, has paid me the greatest attention of late. She was with me when I was confined, and for a week after she stayed day and night, nursed me as if I was her own daughter, my dear Agnes was my housekeeper. Never, never shall I forget what I owe to that family. I see some of them almost every day, my acquaintances in Petersburg are extremely kind and attentive, indeed, I think I am very fortunate in having so many pleasing neighbours. I am very anxious to hear from you again, it is a long time since the date of the last letters. There is a ship called the "Good Friend" expected to arrive in a few days, which I trust will bring me a large packet. This is the same ship Mr. J. Cumming intended coming out to this country in. I had a very long letter from my dear James and am delighted to hear he is well and happy, I will answer his letter and also write to M. [Mary?] Cumming and Mrs. Brown by this opportunity. Oh, Margaret, if you knew how much I think of you all, and how anxiously I look forward to the happy time that will take me to your arms. This is a stupid letter, but I hope I will have pleasanter news to tell you when I write again, which will be soon. Tell Margaret Byers I hope to hear from her very soon, remember me in the kindest manner to her and Miss McNally, and all other friends. Write to me very often, my dearest Margaret. I am very much obliged to my dear Rachel for her kind letter, which I shall answer at the next opportunity. I am very much pleased with her writing, and the accounts I hear of her improvement in every respect. Mary Cumming tells me you both play sweetly on the glasses. How I long to hear and become a scholar of yours. I wrote several letters to you last summer, very likely they did not arrive safe. I generally get yours ready opened for me. William joins me in the kindest love to you all, and in wishing you health and happiness. I am, my beloved Margaret's sincerely attached. Mary Cumming. |
