Sunday is a day for church and letter writing, for both Edwin and Susan. She speaks of famous Mr. Grough once again.
Danversport, Mass. Oct. 7, 1866 Sabbath
My dear Friend.
I wonder if you, too, are seeing this beautiful sunset! The holy quiet of this hour brings with it thoughts of days forever gone of dear friends who, having finished their work here worship God in his temple not made with hands, thoughts too, of kind friends living, yet away & is it wrong for me to write to one of them at this time? Has not this been a lovely autumn day? Have you been to church? Did you furnish your bouquet as usual? Did your brother's family take dinner with you? And did you take tea with your mother? Please do not think I am inquisitive. I think my motive, in this case is not a wrong one. I presume you received a hurried letter last evening. It could hardly be called an answer to yours. By way of excuse I might say I was quite tired, and when the compositions were finished, I did not feel that I could interest anyone by writing, but I think you have discovered that before this. I went to the plains to church this afternoon & heard a very good sermon from, "Love not the world, nor the things that are in the world."
The preacher said if we loved God supremely, we could not love friends, nature, art, or anything which God has given us, too much. If we started from God with our feelings, they would be likely to be right towards all things. I think I do remember that we took a view from the cupola when Miss Lissie Hills & I were in Acton; but it did not at that time, enter my mind that you would ever have any occasion for remembering it. I hope you will never have any cause to regret that we met there & that pleasant hours are in the future, as well as have been in the past. I think it lies very much with ourselves whether we will be happy or not, do not you?
Lynn, Tuesday P.M.
The clouds of this morning have scattered & disappeared save enough to add to the beauty of the golden colored west, & everything looks beautiful. I presume your day's labor is nearly ended & while I sit quietly writing to you, perhaps you are going home "to tea." I think the gathering round the tea table with the loved ones at home, in these cool autumn evenings, has very much that is pleasant in it. How many times have I enjoyed it after taking my long walk from the high school in Danvers? I think I should like it just as much this evening & if you could make one of the number, it would be none the less pleasant.
You will not be disappointed in getting no letter this evening, will you? Last evening on my way to the lecture I called at the office & was happy to find your letter. Mr. Gough's lecture was a very fine one, the same, I presume, which your brother heard in Boston, subject, "Curiosity."
There was more of the real solid & less of laughable matter than any lecture I ever heard from him. While hearing him, the thought occurred to me that perhaps these were his last lectures, he seemed so anxious to impress moral & religious truths on those who heard him, particularly the young men. But I am to tell you about it & not write it.
After I came home I had the pleasure of a letter to read, & on opening it saw a sweet little bouquet. Is it wrong to love flowers so much? Not if we love their maker more, is it?
Today we reach a way mark in our school life, the term is just half gone; & from this little resting spot I can hardly help looking back over the five & a half weeks, gone, & I am aware that more might have been done & better. I would like to make a better use of what remains.
I saw very plainly the force of example in your last letter. Hereafter, must I write a long letter to insure such in return? I have been many times reminded of you this week, as I have been wearing those proofs of your thoughtfulness & care. They fit very nicely. As Edwin is a shoemaker we can assume what she is wearing is footwear of his making!
I think you must miss your garden flowers very much, both, as to their care & the pleasure you have derived from them. I hope you are entirely recovered from your fall & trust you will be guarded against a similar accident again. We intend to dismiss school by twelve o'clock on Thursday & go into Boston in the afternoon. If it should be unpleasant I shall probably go directly home. I shall be happy to see you just when most convenient for you to come. I think if you ride with a horse you will find it very pleasant. Don't you want me to help drive? I should like very much to hear from you, but suppose a letter would not reach me before I leave Lynn, & I will look for an answer in person. Perhaps I have written as much as you will care to read & as I have a letter to write to my dear cousin Lucretia,(whom you have never seen but I hope you will meet her someday) & lessons to look over I will bid you good night & with much love to you dear friend, I remain,
Yours truly,
Susan
Wed . morn .
Have you any spare photographs? & if so are you willing to dispose of them this way? Excuse my asking you -
SusanEdwin's next letter demonstrates a sense of humor we've not heard previously. It's nice to see he can poke fun at himself.
Acton, Mass. Wed. Eve. Oct. 10, 1866
My dear friend.
I was not disappointed this evening in receiving yours and I know you will not look for an answer and will not be pleased to receive one when I give my reasons for writing. Fearing my personal appearance will resemble too much that of a hard drinker I may think it will be more for your pleasure for me to defer my visit till I can look more like a sober man. It has been said that "one good turn deserves another" but my nose can testify that one bad turn follows another. Last evening I spent at my brother's and there met a friend who wished for one of my tintypes. I promised him one if he would call on his way home which he did. As I was carrying it out to him somewhat in a hurry, my nose came in contact with the edge of a door, which I supposed was open, which gave me very unpleasant sensations at the time and caused the blood to flow quite freely and today it is somewhat increased in size. If I do not succeed in reducing the inflammation I think it will be best to keep shady. This is the effect of the tintype excitement in Acton on me.
I was chosen one of the delegates to attend the Congressional Convention in Concord today, but fearing they might take me for one of the opposite party I told John he had better take my place which he did. I know you cannot be more disappointed than I shall be if I am obliged to defer my visit for the want of a respectable nose. If I come this week I shall probably come Friday and shall be under the necessity of engaging a sly corner and perhaps you will lend me a veil if we wish to stroll out on the street.
I would very much like your assistance and company in driving over and for the want of it I shall take the cars and perhaps engage your services while in Danvers. I have a plenty of photographs and will furnish you what you want. I wish I could send you one of my nose taken today and get your opinion of my showing it in public.
The lecture my brother heard by Mr. Gough was on Temperance.
I have always thought as you do that our happiness depended upon ourselves and I feel sure if I do not have a happy home it will not be your fault and I hope I shall not be so ungrateful as to give you reason to regret placing your confidence in me. I believe I answered most of your inquiries in regard to my spending the Sabbath in my last. I hope in my next I shall have something more interesting to write about and that it will not be a chapter of accidents don't you?
You will excuse me for writing dear Susie as I thought you would think strange if you did not see me Friday and if you do not you may know that I am "not fit to be seen." You will give me my Saturday evening letter if I do not come and think of me with a sorry nose.
I do not feel guilty of loving flowers too much and of course shall not charge you with sin in that respect. I think the preacher has given the right answer to your inquiries. I have gathered a few tonight that survived the frost to replenish my bouquet. I have written more than I expected when I commenced and it is now late and I will close hoping to see you soon and if not to hear from you Saturday I remain with much love to all "at home."
Very aff. yours etc.
Edwin