Searching for Susan

There may be correspondence missing during the six day period following the last letter, but we know Edwin visited Susan in Danversport. Her school teaching days have ended as the term finished with the examinations.

At home in Danvers Nov. 22, 1866. Thurs. morning

Dearest Edwin,

When I promised you a letter for this evening I did not think the time would come so soon. Yesterday in the forenoon Mary & I were very busy at home, & in the afternoon we were in Salem; the eve. found me rather too tired to write & so have deferred it till this morning. I have yet scarcely realized that I am having vacation & that "school will commence again so soon." Who will sit in my chair? Who will use my keys which I must deliver today?

This morning I am going to Lynn & shall spend the night with Annie Brown. I have accomplished so little this week that I do not feel like taking the time, but will not disappoint her.

I feel interested to know how you reached home & what connection you were able to make with the trains. I shall be sorry if by persuading you to stay you were unable to attend to all your business in Lynn & Boston. The fair weather which I predicted was delayed so long that I am afraid you were not accommodated by it; but we have it for today & I think I shall appreciate it.

Did you see the fine sunrise this morning? I think I never saw one more beautiful, such golden clouds, & the water added no little to the beauty. I took the gifts from the scholars to Salem yesterday & had them marked very prettily. They will be much prized as coming from those to whom I was strongly attached.

If I had not said I would mail a letter to you this morning I should not send one so short, but Charley is nearly ready to take this to the office & so, dear Edwin, I must say good morning. Please not follow my example in the length of your letter, but set such a one as you would like to have me follow & I will be guided by it.Charlie is Susan's seven year old nephew.

I need not tell you that we missed you after you left us on Tuesday. I shall claim a letter Monday, I should enjoy before that time. I will not send you such an apology for a letter next time. Now, dear Edwin, once more good morning. Hoping to hear from you soon, with much love, I am ever truly yrs.

Susie

With teaching now behind her, marriage preparations begin in earnest, in both Acton and Danvers.

"At home" Acton Fri. Eve.11 o'clock Nov. 23, 1866

Dearest Susie.

Notwithstanding the lateness of the hour I will write a few lines this eve in answer to your "short but sweet" letter received last eve. I suppose you have made and finished your visit to Miss Brown. I fear the weather was not such as you would wish. Here we had quite a little snow storm and the ground is still white but I think tomorrow's sun will cause it to disappear. I do not wish to see winter just yet do you Susie? I find it is not pleasant to come into a cold house. This eve I have started a fire in my chamber stove and moved up stairs as I do not like the smell of the paint. I shall be glad when they are done and all the other arrangements made for a pleasant and a happy home. I hope you will not be homesick when you come up and see the unsettled state of things, but think that it is not always to be so.

Mother had about seventy meet with her in the hall last evening notwithstanding the storm. We had a very pleasant time. This eve the choir met for rehearsal. On my return home I took the same train from Lynn to Boston that I started on. I called to see the man that I wished to see and not finding him at home I hurried back to the depot and was just in season to go on.

I called at Mr. Black' s and ordered the Photographs' and settled your bill. I have written to James this eve requesting him to see you about coming to Acton. Perhaps you will see him on the Sabbath. I am anticipating much pleasure in seeing you and I hope the day will not be so unpleasant as the last one you spent in Acton. I am troubled with a slight cold which affects my throat and I think you can sympathize with me as you have had the same experience.

Abbie has the same trouble quite severely and was not able to be out neither last evening nor this. I have just been interrupted by a commotion among the crockery which I have stored in the attic and upon my going to see what the trouble was, found the cat in search of game and I assisted her in completing it by removing some of the wares among which it was hid.

John started off Wed. morning and returned last evening in season for the meeting.

I thank you for the beautiful flower you sent which I think will retain its beauty longer than the ones I send you.

And now dear Susie, I owe you an apology for writing so hasty a letter and I know you will excuse me from writing more when I tell you that the oil is going out and I do not wish to disturb any one by getting another lamp and so I will bid you good night hoping to hear from you again on Monday and to see you on Wednesday. I remain with much love to all the friends at home very aff. & truly yours,

Edwin

I stopped to the singing school. My brother came after me, but not in season to attend the school as he had company and it was very rainy the first of the eve. I had procured a passage home but found him waiting for me.

Following this letter, nine days pass before there is any more mail, from either. This is the longest gap over the entire correspondence. During this period, Susan visited Acton, accompanied by Edwin's brother James and perhaps some of his family. Edwin probably returned with her as they shopped together in Boston.

Acton Our cottage home December 2, 1866

Dearest Susie,

Agreeable to the promise made I will write a few lines to you this evening. I had a very pleasant ride home but must say that I did not enjoy it so much as the ride in the morning. I succeeded in getting the goods home in safety and upon examination find them correct and perfectly satisfactory. James called up in the evening and was much pleased with our selection.

John and Martha called in at noon and if it was Sunday I did not resist the temptation to get their opinion of ( missing word.) They like them very much and think we were very fortunate in the choice we made. Henry called this eve and he thinks I must have had some one of good taste to make the selection for me. I told him I did not do it alone.

I found the bundle of papers directed to Concord, N.H. but as it was left at the Fitchburg depot it came all right. What a beautiful day we have had and the fine sunset I suppose you saw, but not from the same windows that I did. I need not tell you dear Susie my thoughts went forward a few Sabbaths when I should not be alone thinking of my dearest friend so far from me and not under the necessity of expressing my thoughts on paper but in a more social manner.

I trust you arrived home safe and none the worse for the visit and the days experience in Boston. Did you stop at Lynn and leave the keys? Or have the scholars got to be shut out of your room?

Some the people were disappointed in not seeing us at church today. We have here as in most other places people who are willing to fix the day and make all the plans for any one in our situation.

We had a minister from Carlisle to preach for us today. James took charge of the meeting in the evening in the absence of Mr. Colman. We have a rehearsal tomorrow evening in the Hall. Tuesday evening, the sing school. Wed. evening the usual meeting and Friday eve the Ladies Sew. Society meet at Mr. Corrant, our representative elect, all of which I expect to attend. The other evenings are taken up by meetings that I shall not attend.

I awoke this morning with the headache but a good strong cup of tea for dinner has driven it all away. I believe I promised I would not write a long letter and as it is wrong to break promises I must close and dear Susie when shall I get an answer?

I know you will not make me go many times to the office before getting one of the letters I prize so much. And now with much love I will bid you good night.

Very truly yours,

Edwin.

Mail service between Danvers and Acton was as efficient as the service between Lynn and Acton. Edwin's letter is answered the next day.

Danversport, Dec. 3rd '66 Monday evening

My dear Edwin,

It is now nine o'clock & I am feeling just like shutting my eyes, so I fear you will think your prospect of a letter not very encouraging; but I know how I dislike to be disappointed when I am anticipating a letter & I judge of others by myself. Yours which I felt sure I should receive came this afternoon & with it safely the bill which I think your credit would have allowed you to retain. I was glad to learn of your safe arrival home & that you as well as others were satisfied with the choice which we made in the paper & curtains.

I followed you in mind as you went your way & I mine & know I should have liked better to have taken the pleasant drive with you from Concord than I did the ride with a stranger in the steam-car. Perhaps it will not always be that we shall go in different ways. I found on reaching Salem that it would be necessary to change cars for Danvers; I was just planning to move conveniently with my baggage when a friend of ours offered to relieve me, which I thanked him very much for doing. I found all at home well & expecting that I would come.

Father had gone to Ipswich & has not yet returned. I spent a very pleasant day in Boston & was not so tired as I usually am after being in the noisy city. I did enjoy that early morning ride; it reminded me of those we have taken on our way to Lynn & yet there was something about it which was more pleasant than those.

Susan's mention of her father was surprising. It seems he too may be now living with his son Charles and his family in Danversport. With Susan still boarding there, it must be a bit crowded on Water Street.

You will not think it strange, if I tell you that my thoughts were in the school-room this morning. Why was I not there in body as well?

I attended church three times yesterday & heard an excellent sermon in the morning from Mr. Holbrook. He spoke beautifully of life's duties, that there was no station so lowly, none so lofty, but great responsibilities rested upon us. And, dearest friend, will we not strive that our lives be not aimless?

I have asked Mary about the edge of the curtains & she thinks that in time they would ravel if they were not hemmed or pasted. She fixed hers in the last way & they rolled perfectly well. Have you had painters in the house today & when will they have the paper?

So there are some people who have made different plans from yours & mine. I usually like to disappoint such ones. There are plenty of the same class here & I let them alone to enjoy their own planning. The weather has been very fine since I came home & I trust you all have enjoyed it more than the storm. Mary sends love & has been urging me to say good night, & is watching the bread which this time making. If you were here we would take good care of it.

If I send for a letter on Thursday may I find one there? I shall wish to hear from you, you know. Mary thinks it would be better to wear the oil-cloth carpet a little while before putting on varnish. Please remember me to your father & mother & brother's family; particularly to Mary whom I love very much. And now once more bidding you good night, dear Edwin, I am very aff. your,

Susie

Domestic chores and wedding plans are moving forward.

Acton. Wed. Eve. Dec. 5, 1866 10 o'clock

My dear Susie,

Perhaps you may wish to know why I have delayed till this late hour before commencing my letter to you. I have been unusually busy today and have just returned home. This eve I have attended the meeting after which I called to see John about some business and I must ask you to excuse me from writing much of a letter as I am expecting to take an early start in the morning for Westford, Lowell and Billerica, all alone. Don't you wish you could keep me company? I do. I invited mother & Martha but neither of them thought they could leave home. I expect to be gone over night. It is about 22 miles and I should really enjoy your company and think I should have a more social ride. I hope and think I shall have a pleasant day. I don't know how to leave home but it seems to be necessary for me to do so.

Father goes to Fitchburg tomorrow. James and family left us this morning. James rode to Concord with John who has been to Boston today and ordered an organ of Simmons.

The Fletcher family all attended the Congregational Church, first founded in 1832. John Fletcher, the father of Edwin, had been a deacon since 1838. The organ, often mentioned in recent letters, was finally installed in 1867, at a cost of $1,320.00.

I think you did well to attend church three times after taking such a jaunt in Boston. The carpet came Monday night and I have it spread in the attic at the shop. I washed it over with cold water today and the painters say varnish it before using it. I have got the painting all done and expect the grainers tomorrow. The paper in the bedroom and sitting room is all on and looks nicely. The parlor is partly done and will also be very much improved. I expect they will get it all finished tomorrow. I shall leave John to see that everything is right. He took the curtains to Boston today.

And dear Susie I shall be glad when I get settled down and rid of the painters etc. You will not think strange that I have that feeling and I think you would have been homesick if you had called today. I have had four men at work in the house beside myself. We found it no small job to get off the old paper. And now dear Susie I must close as I wish to start at seven in the morning and I will leave it for you to make the necessary corrections in this hasty letter and with much love I will bid you good night.

I shall expect a letter Saturday evening. Shall I be disappointed? Very truly and affectionately, yours,

Edwin