Letter from Augusta Bruen, Dayton, OH to Luther Bruen, 1863-01-11
Dayton O. Jan.- 11th. 1863 Uncle John brought me your welcome letter of the 8th, last night just as I was preparing for bed; so I have three letters for which to thank you my dearest. Two, I found on my return last Thursday. - My visit was as pleasant as it could possibly be and I returned quite cheered by it, and the thought of being ever as happy with my Husband, as Nan was with hers. My pleasure was quite damped however by finding Frank quite unwell, and Mother said he had missed me more than either of the others. He was coughing and looked so thin and pale that I felt seriously alarmed and felt too that I must not leave him again if he grieved after me. The Doctor however has succeeded in making him quite bright again and thinks my absence will hardly be seriously noticed by him when he is again well. If such is the case, I propose, with your sanction to leave here on Wednesday week the 21st, about 10 o'clock in the morning, which I suppose would take me to Albany by 4 o'clock Thursday afternoon. Monday is a bad day on several accounts to leave, therefore I change to Wednesday. I regret to see by Uncle John's letter that you are again talking of selling our house. Where do you expect us to live this summer? You must recollect that Father is trying and expecting to sell his house so that we cannot depend upon it. Father proposed last night that you should borrow money either from a private individual or the Bank at six per cent and pay off Dr. Jewett. He has done so with a part or the whole of his indebtedness, and is thereby relieved of paying so large an interest. Johnson Perrine took the Schenck debt, and perhaps the whole. I asked Uncle John what he thought of your doing the same way, he said "I would do it by all means, if it can be done." I hope my dear, you will think seriously of this matter; and not take this home from me till another is ready for me; this is particularly desirable since it is evident that I shall be obliged to look out for myself for some time to come; and house-hunting and house fixing cannot easily be done by a woman with four little ones to look after. Do remember three small children and 'one at the breast' and have a little mercy! I enclose a letter, that laid in the Office a day or two, because it was directed to L.G. Bruen. Finally I thought it better to look into the matter and, supposing that Mr. Brady was the one really interested, thought I would show it to him; but he *don't* come, and no one knows when he will so Eliza, Quincy and I came to the conclusion that you had better see it. Robby was telling Betty today, that he fell and hurt himself one day at the Fort, and Mamma put "varnish" on the hurt! The other day he told her that he had the "headache in his stomach" and wanted some "head and butter" so she "must set the supper table immediately."! Eliza sent for us to help her demolish an immense turkey today, so I took all the children and helped her through. *Sallie* is quite unwell, having a cold on the lungs. Tommy and Lidy have not taken the measles yet. - Eliza sent her love. - I am going to send you several #Commercials, in which Dr. Olds is severely ridiculed. You need not let tell any one that I sent these, as they are not very decent. Goodbye dearest, answer me as soon as you get this and tell me if you do not think it best for me to come. I think I shall feel able to stay till the first or middle of April. Will that suit you? If not say so. Yours Ever Augusta#
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January 11, 1863
Bruen, Augusta Forrer
Dayton, OH
4 pages
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
Bruen, Augusta Forrer -- Correspondence
Catharine Mitchill '31 Collection of Family Letters, Wellesley College Library, Special Collections
MSS.6.48
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http://repository.wellesley.edu/mitchill/48
