File:Frances (Appleton) Longfellow to Nathan Appleton, 18 August 1845 (ad08d261-f17f-493a-b557-f0650c3b3731).jpg

Manuscript letter

Archives Number: 1011/002.001-015#019

Brattleboro. Monday –
Dear papa,
Tom sends you his note from Aunt Sam thinking it may amuse you. I am sorry the finale of her visit was so dull but by this time it will all seem couleur de rose. I write particularly now to request you to discover for me if Aunt Martha intends to come down to Commencement, as I asked her to do, & if so, precisely on what day, because if she does not intend to reach Boston until Tuesday evg of next week (Wednesday being Commencement) we may not either, but, otherwise, will return from Portland on Monday. It makes [p. 2] no difference to us which day it is. I only wish to know to be at home to welcome her – I suppose she has heard from Uncle Charles by this time, & has arranged her plans.
I am very sorry Mary’s mind is still so unsettled. I, of course, expressed my disappointment at first, but have not since alluded to it, and regret exceedingly she should fancy I am not reconciled to it. But she will not certainly dream of coming out at this eleventh hour. It is evident their plans are directed altogether elsewhere –
We are off tomorrow, unless it storms seriously, which today’s cloudiness renders not improbable. We have engaged a barouche, like the one we got at P., to take us to Springfield, which we expect to reach Wednesday noon, to take the [p. 3] cars, passing tomorrow night at Northampton, & shall go on to Portland on Thursday, resting at 39 Beacon St, it hardly being worth while to disturb Cambridge for a night. Tom has not decided I believe to continue with us beyond B. but I hope he will. He & Henry amuse themselves here, at stray intervals, with the billiard table at the Lunatic Asylum – once belonging to Mr Sears & Tom’s Club, thence having strangely migrated hither. Mr Bryant Tilden takes great comfort in it between his twinges of gout. He seems to have found a very pleasant retreat here. Poor Mr Blake is taken with the typhus fever. I trust it wont prove serious.
If Aunt M. will write to me at Boston, as we shall be there Thurs [p. 4] day morning, I shall know her plans. There is a wonderful case here from Lowell. A woman who, for years, has not been able to move from her chair & was given up as incurable, has, under the water-cure, in a few weeks made out to walk more than a mile a day. She says when she returns her friends will think her risen from the dead.
It is deliciously cool today but was’nt yesterday melting? These lovely moonlight nights, however, have been most refreshing.
With love to Harriet & all
ever yr affte
Fanny L.
Tom has invited Jewett over from Keene to pass to day with us on the chance of his being there. It is only a dozen miles from here, but I dont expect to see him –
ADDRESSED: FANNY / AUG 18. 45

• Keywords: correspondence; long archives; frances e. a. longfellow papers (long 20257); frances elizabeth (appleton) longfellow; people; document; subject; health and illness; travel; Correspondence (1011/002); (LONG-SeriesName); Letters from Frances Longfellow (1011/002.001); (LONG-SubseriesName); 1845 (1011/002.001-015); (LONG-FileUnitName)