Edwin has apparently asked Susan about inviting his deceased wife's sister Lizzie and her family to attend his wedding. Susan agrees.
Mrs. Fletcher, your brother James' wife, would like to have you get for her a pair of those Arctic boots like mine, No. 3.M. Mine were just right for her. Your brother's school is going on well. Mary & Julia would be pleased to hear from you & also to see you soon.
You will excuse a hasty letter won't you? I would not wish to interfere with your plans but if you have arranged to come to Danvers on Monday, you know how glad I shall be to see you. If you should not come you will let me have a letter on Monday, won't you? Please remember me to your father & mother. And now dear Edwin I must say good night again with pen & ink. Hoping to hear from & see you soon, with much love, I am always your own,
SusieEdwin has once again visited Susan in Danvers.
Danversport, Jan. 8th '67 Tuesday eve.
My dearest Edwin,
The clock has just struck ten, & you may think I had better be sleeping than writing; but I have been asleep nearly all the evening & have just waked to write a letter to you as I promised. I am sitting just where we sat last evening before a nice fire & you do not know how much I miss my dearest friend. I am trying to get thoroughly warm before starting for those colder regions where I found so great a degree of cold last night, or rather morning.
Mary thinks it must have been three o'clock when she heard the door open. I let her think so. I have followed you on your way till I think now perhaps you have reached home, I hope you have, it is so cold.
I felt so sorry to part from you today for I saw the shade of sadness which I knew I had brought over you. I could not bear to do it; I thought of every alternative, & I knew not what else to do. But, dear Edwin, I would rather bear anything myself than make one unpleasant thought for you. This is an interesting and very personal comment. We can only speculate on what might have transpired.
I am pretty tired & it is so late that I will bid you good night. God bless you dear Edwin, & I know He will.
Wednesday morn.
I am feeling nicely this morning & have eaten some breakfast. I hope it will be such nice weather in two weeks from today. And I cannot help feeling that our heavenly father will give us his favor. 0h, Edwin, the comfort, consolation & relief I feel in prayer. And to know that you too are one of Christ's own. It gives me more true pleasure than our pretty home, which you know I love.
I have written this form of invitation which is very much like one of Mary's & which she as well as I think is the prettiest. I have thought 50 of them would embrace your friends & mine. And would not 100 cards be enough? I do not know how many you would like for yourself. Perhaps I can go in .to Boston Friday & order them & then they will be ready if you should come on Monday. Will you please write so that I can hear tomorrow & tell me how many you would like & if this style pleases you.
Charles was very sorry not to see you again yesterday; he expected to find you here when he came home.
Mary would like to have had you remained longer, for like Julia, she tells me, she likes her brother better every time she sees him; & you will find her a true friend. She is not the only one who might tell you as much; but I would not have the appearance of flattering.
I have two or three errands to do in Boston, so that I shall not need to go on purpose.
There seems to be no doubt Susan's father has moved from Ipswich and is now living in Danvers with his son.
Father felt the cold this morning very much & for a few minutes could hardly get air enough to allow him to breathe. It seems like suffocation. Charley is nearly ready for school & I must end my letter. I think I shall not have to hurry about my work much more for friends are very kind to assist me.
I want to hear from you. Mary sends much love & so do I. Charley is waiting, so with much love, I am your own.
Susie
Today I am going to mark your handkerchiefs & fix the neck tie, for you. Did the cuffs last till you reached home?
Wedding preparations continue at a brisk pace.
Danversport. Jan. 11th 1867 Friday noon 11.45
My dearest Edwin,
We have just deposited in the brick oven 9 large & 1 small loaf of "wedding cake," which we anticipate will be very nice, as it has been made with the greatest care and my brother has spared no pains to make it good. The ingredients were prepared yesterday and the lady came this morning & made the cake.
It is now dinner time but I will write a line to send in this afternoon's mail that it may reach you tomorrow evening. I am very sorry that mine of Tuesday evening did not reach you on Wednesday. I took particular pains to fulfil my promise & must blame the P.O. department. I was disappointed too in not hearing from you yesterday but knew you were faithful to your promise.
Yesterday Mary I were in Salem & purchased my cloak etc. I hope you will like it as well as we do. I was intending to be in Boston today but the business of the day prevented. I intend to go tomorrow even if it storms. I will order the invitations & cards, as you suggest, having them ready for you if you should call for them Monday noon. The box which I was to forward by express is waiting to be packed & will not start this week. I am still hoping your brother & wife will be here. I want them so much.
I think from necessity I must decline your invitation to the levee. Don't work too hard, will you dear Edwin. I hope you will have a pleasant time. But I trust I shall see you before then. I am glad you like the book-case. I think we shall find it very convenient as well as ornamental.
I think your mother is very kind to do so much for our happiness. I trust we appreciate it & shall have opportunity to do something for her. You will hardly think this letter worth going to the office for but I wanted you to hear on Saturday & as the mail is not sure I have scribbled these few lines for sending to the noon mail. I am glad to hear of the interest & trust much good may be done. I am happy to know that you have some flowers to gladden the sickroom of the suffering.
Please say to your sister Abbie that I have been to Salem to get the medicine of Dr. Cate & he was not at home. I will go again if she would like me to. I hope we may see you on Monday. You know how much I wish to see you, but I will not be selfish & wish you to inconvenience yourself but if you do not come, you will write won't you. I hope it will be yourself whom I shall see.
You will excuse such a letter in its length & appearance, won't you? And now I want some dinner. I wish we could give you some too. I forgot to tell you how glad I was of your letter, dear Edwin. If you had seen me stop beating eggs to read it you would not doubt my pleasure at receiving it.
Now with much love to you dear friend & in great haste I am your own aff.
Susie
Once again, Edwin has visited Danvers.
Danversport, Jan. 16th, 1867 Wednesday eve. 10 o'clock
My dearest Edwin,
All alone I am sitting just where we were sitting not long ago. You know how much I should enjoy having you for company, this evening, but as I may not, I will spend a few minutes in writing to you, perhaps my last one to you under the circumstances in which I usually write. It will not be less pleasant, will it, dear Edwin, to sit down together in our home & exchange a letter for each other's company?
You will not think it strange if I tell you that many times today particularly during my quiet evening has busy thought gone forward to one week from today. I cannot realize that in so short a time I am to leave this home, & call another mine. It seems to me like vacation & my going away like the new term to be followed by other weeks of recreation to be spent here at home. And yet, dearest Edwin, I know it is not so; nor will you think it strange that as much as I love our new home, I am aware that the ties here tighten as the time of sundering them draws nearer. You would not wish me to be without such a feeling of attachment, would you? Yet you know I wish to go with you.
All the family excepting father & I have gone to the fair & as I am pretty tired I think I shall not sit up till they come home. I imagine you, busy as possible & having I hope a pleasant time. Perhaps one wandering thought of yours has left the active, merry company before you & turns to one who loves you in Danvers. She, too, is thinking of you, & if you will have the rest in the morning she will tell you "good night."
Good morning. What a nice snowstorm for washing & company which was to come off today. I suppose the weather is all right. I rather have the storm this week than next. I was intending to send the book tomorrow but you may not see it before Saturday or Monday.
I have not yet been to Beverly. I shall go if I have time. The fair came off well, taking $300. The Gallery of Art caused some merriment. You will find enclosed a Programme. I sent & mailed all the invitations yesterday & today I am to work on those dresses which you would perhaps like to see finished. You, I presume, are busy this morning but I hope you will find time to send me a letter tomorrow, for I want to hear from you. You will think this a very short letter, but you know how much I need every moment of time. Hoping to hear from you tomorrow & with much love, I am your own aff.
Susie Smith.
You will be sure to come Tuesday won't you?Susie
With Susan's sly reference to the day before their scheduled wedding, the correspondence ends. How could I possibly not go hunting to learn more?