Letters of Note--Please Come Home All is Forgiven

Allen is in Portland, NY helping ship grapes and trying out life on his own but a few hours down the road his family misses him terribly and wow but could Aunt Mary lay a guilt trip.  In contrast, Luella's note is very much from a school girl--very dramatic and gossipy but also full of love.





Letter from Aunt Mary Cass Eccles

Monday Oct. 2, 1899


Dear Allie,

I thought I would write a few lines to you as your Mama + Luella has already written well Allie we are all well and hope this will find you the same the boys all send their love to you.  Glenn says tell Allie to come home to go to hunting with him he shot 3 nice rabbits yesterday he also wants you to come and go a chestnuting with him.  Gib and I are going to Jamestown to day.  I may see you in Jamestown today hope I will you may bet I will bring you home with me if I do. 

Allie what makes you want to go so far away from your home and friends for and go right among strangers don't you know you are a great deal better off with your Father and your Mother than what you are off there what if you should get sick you would not have your Ma to take care of you and baby you in every way.  Allie, don’t you know your Pa is not very well and if he should die you would feel as if you you had done a very wrong thing in going away from home for to let him get along the best he could Allie do come home and go to School as it is the very best thing for you to do you know a good learning is th very best thing you can have.

Allie don’t you know that there is only you two boys and if you stay at home and try and do right you will get more help from your Pa that all you could lay up by hard work you know we have all got to put up with a great deal in this world so don’t lay up anything against your Pa for he has just as much love for you as any father had for his son hse was only scolding you for chewing tobacco and that was just for your own good it is certainly a dirty filthy weed it makes your breath smell bad it stains you mouth and lips besides it costs lots of money.  We have had some pretty cold weather for a few days + quite a little snow but it has all gone off now.

Well I will have to close this as Gib is waiting for me.  Please write as soon as you get this and tell all of the news and promise me you will come right home and go to School you will won't you Allie.  I will close hoping to hear from you soon.  I remain as ever your true friend and Auntie Mary to Allie.
















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Letter from Cousin Luella Springer Eccles

Frewsburg, NY
Sept. 29, 1899

My Dear Cousin,


I with pleasure will write a few lines to you,  I wrote a letter to you and sent it to Jamestown but you didn't that did you.  Your mother is down hear this morning and she gave me your address and I will write to you.

Grandma and mama are woring about you all the time every time we have been to town mama has looked all around for you but she did not see you.  Oh! say Allen why dont you come home and got to school.  I miss you awfully (over)



and so does Mattie Cowan.  Mattie sends her love and best wishes to you.  She wanted me to ask you if you remembered the last Saturday night you were together.  She says she remembers it very well and thinks you do.  I went down to see (?) last evening and did not get home until half past seven.  Went over to the burg and we had a jolly time I tell you.  Pearle Carriss and Jessie Herrick were out with us.  Now Allen you will answer this won’t you.  Who is your girl out there how do you like it.  How much do you get a week.  I hope you get lo of money and will come home with your


pockets full and then see what your father what you can do.  How did your canvasing well I hope.  Oh say did you know Willis Doger had gone to the army.  Lillian Venman received a letter from him yesterday.  Oh say Allen you know what I told you about being over to the burg some one else was with us.  I will tell you their initials and you can make them out and if you can’t when I see you I wll tell you they are RCM, LME, MC, JH, PC, CD these are who were out that night.


Well I shall half to close for this time hiping to here from you soon.  I remain your true friend and cousin.

Luella M. Eccles
Frewsburg, NY
(give my love to all I know)

Now Allen do come home you don’t know how bad I want to see you.  I want to see you the worst of anyone do come home.  (What made you go)

Now Allen you ans this week with out fail.  Mattie wants to know if you remember making ice cream one Sunday night.




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Comments

  1. I love these dear women and to see their words in their own handwriting is thrilling. Thank you, thank you, thank you, dear cousin.
    Love,Patsy

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  2. Jenny, I found myself back to your blog today and this entry struck me as I reread it. Notice that Luella signs her name as Luella "Eccles". We know she was never formally adopted because she was still a Springer when she later married Gib. Surely there would have been some legal barrier to Gib marrying her had she been legally his daughter also. For now, this is just an observation. I continue to speculate on Luella, her feelings and her life...still processing it.

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