Letter from Mary Forrer, Dayton, OH to Sarah "Sella" Bruen, 1861-10-16
#For Mama Mother says send Sella back with Judge Hull - We will take very good care of her and bring her up in the way she had orter go But seriously I wish you would send her, it would relieve you very much and we would like to have her - #
Dayton Oct 16th 1861.
Dear little Sella,
You must not think Aunt Mary has forgotten you because she did not write. No indeed, I think of you all a great many times every day, and wish very much that I could just peep in at you for a few moments and take you and Franky and Robby a walk on the Beach. Mama says you have started to Sunday School. I do hope you will learn to read as well as the best little reader in the school.
When you come back to Dayton I have got so many pretty little books, that I will lend to you. I heard of a little boy the other day who was younger than Bessie; he could spell dog, cat, man and a great many other words, and knew on what day he was born. Was'nt he a smart little Fellow? His mama was Buddy Houk, and he has a sister called Daisy. Daisy is pretty good little girl I guess. When her mother comes home and asks her whether she has been good while she was gone Daisy always tells her mama if she did any naughty thing, and never thinks of telling a story.
If little girls and boys only knew how much better they would get along if they always told the truth, I don't believe they would ever think of telling stories.
I took tea at Aunt Lib's last week. I saw all the little children. Little Elliott, or rather big Elliott is a fine fellow; he laughs out loud and is almost to large for Sarah to nurse.
Bessie is a funny little girl. She wants to join her cousin Sam's company, and he a soldier. The other day she saw them, drilling and concluded she would rather not be a soldier because she "would get tired doing dat." They have got three little pets - Mop, Pop, + Sop, Mop the curly white dog Pop the smooth brown rat-catcher & Sop the good for nothing little kitten. They are a funny sett, but not good for much.
I think you must be learning to sew pretty well, or else you could not have sent Grandma that nice little Towel. As soon as you learn how to hem very nicely Mama will teach you how mark the Towels. Sarah Peirce marks her mother's with the letter P, in red cotton thread, and you must put B, on Mama's.
Betty wants to know how you all are. She would like to see you very much I am sure. Fido & Bruno L are pretty well I think, they didn't say any thing about being sick, although Fidy is dirty enough to be sick along one would think. Bruno came home the other day all covered with Tar. Mrs. Doyle's Betty thought they would wash him, so to work they went and gave Poor Bruno such a scrubbing that he was most frightened to death. At last Mrs. D. picked up a bucket of water to rinse him with but Bruno thought he had had enough, and tried to run away. Betty held him tightly by the neck and he knocked Betty about pretty generally, finally he knocked her up against the tree, tumbled her over, broke loose and jumped fence and went down Main Street. He came back soon but went down to your house where Grandpapa was at work.
Now little Sella I do wish you could write me an answer to this letter - do make haste and learn to write, so that I can hear from you. I want you to give Robbie two kisses and Franky two kisses, and tell them Aunt Mary sent them and if you can give yourself two
- Good night Dear Little Sella and try to be very good and kind
Your affectionate
Aunt Mary.
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October 16, 1861
Forrer, Mary
Dayton, OH
4 pages
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
Forrer, Mary -- Correspondence
Catharine Mitchill '31 Collection of Family Letters, Wellesley College Library, Special Collections
MSS.6.332
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http://repository.wellesley.edu/mitchill/332
