Letter from Sarah Forrer, Dayton, OH to Augusta Bruen, 1861-10-14
[War feeling &] Dayton Oct. 14th 1861
My dear Augusta we have been so much taken up with Howard since his return, that we have neglected you, I am sorry for it; and am writing this evening though I am very much fatigued. Betty and I have been at your house all day, and are now ready to go down, having taken all my best tableware, and put down the carpet Mary had on her room, in the bedroom which thee formerly occupied. Taken up and thoroughly cleaned the red carpet and the library, and make it ready for thee and the children when you return, I scrubed the oil cloth, I have not varnished it, for I wish to make some inquiries about it before I do it, I have not yet taken up thy parlour carpet, And will not do so if thee things of spending the winter with us, It does not seem to suffer from mothes, as the red one did, and I suppose thee would like to have it down if thee is here, If thee will not come, I will put mine down, I find Father very reluctant to leave the old place, And I wait for him to the move, The way we are situated adds much to my fatigue but I think best to wait till he tires of it before I leave quite, He says he thinks best we should go, but if we do not succeed in selling this winter he says he shall be sorry for it, For my *af* when I signed away all right to it, more than a year ago, I gave up all hope of keeping it, and all wish to live in it, any longer than till another home offered, I did hope that home would be "the hils" but for the present there seems no hope of that, And as your house needs care, and being worth more than ours, will suffer more from neglect, I am quite willing to go to it, I suppose it hurts Father pride to live in another persons house instead of his own, I to have had some of that feeling, But, I do not now consider this ours.
I am much obliged to dear little Sella for the little towel which she so kindly hemed for me, I used it last saturday and found it very good, I hope she is a good little girl and minds Mother, and helps with the children, dear little brothers, Give my love to them If thee has an opportunity, and wishes to send Sella to us, do so, we will do our best with her, And perhaps it will releave thee somewhat, From Howards account, and thy own report, I think Earnstine is of but little use to thee, I am sorry, Koleda called a few days since with Ida, She had received Earnstines' letter and wished to know how to direct one to her, I told her, She seemed anxious that Earnstine should do well, and asked me if she did, I said I hoped so, I have not had time to get the address thee asked for, but will do so as soon as possible
Our volunteers leave Wednesday for Kentucky, Sam Davies is Lieutenant, and goes with them, Father and Jerrie each gave a pair of Blankets to day for some volunteers, not ours, They are well provided Did I tell thee Father has put wire along the fence, to keep the dogs out of the Ferns? And he has succeeded in keeping them out, I have added mine to them, and I think they will make quite a pretty show next spring, How does Luther get on in his new studies? Does he begin to feel at home in them, Or is he in danger of making such blunders as Schenck did?
Luther, I hear, thinks it very disgraceful for any one to stay at home these times, and when Barr, told her that every body could not get places, She said "let them go into the ranks then" "Why did not your Father go there? "My Father is made of better stuff" Rather insulting,
Howard is well in health, since his return, but very restless and unwilling to teach, I do not know how it will end, We were delighted with the little filler, and so was Jerrie, so much so that he took it of Howard for Sam Davies, So Howard has none now Mary wants to know if the box plaits are fastened, and how, Does thee intend it for winder? and if not, what will thee get for winter? and what bonnet for winter? What color for dresses &c Anything thee may think worth communicating I mean the Cloak, when speak plaits, we think the patterns very pretty, The directions for gathering the dress skirt is rather obscure, can thee make it plain, We are in usual health, I think not quite so well, but nothing serious, Tell me very particularly how you are, And give love to all, As are thy
Mother
Augusta, F Bruen Fort Hamilton, N.Y. Harbor
Dear Augusta
Lib has been in all days, no, not all day but part of the morning, She and I made a shoppping excursion to Mrs Perrings. She wrote to you last week so I suppose you have received the letter before this. The children are much pleased with their little presents? Little Bess, wanted to know if Sella had come home yet. Tell Sella I will write to her very soon, Goodnight dear Gus Mary
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October 14, 1861
Forrer, Sarah Hastings Howard
Dayton, OH
4 pages; note from Mary Forrer added at end
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
Forrer, Sarah Hastings Howard -- Correspondence
Catharine Mitchill '31 Collection of Family Letters, Wellesley College Library, Special Collections
MSS.6.338
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http://repository.wellesley.edu/mitchill/338
