Friend Emma,
Your letter of the 11th came to home Sept. 17th, being too late for the party—by several days—but don’t think I should have attended had it come in time, for this reason if no other: I think it is quite necessary that my outgoes should not exceed my income. I would have been very much pleased to have been there at your party and without doubt would have enjoyed it exceedingly as you and all probably did, did you not?
Was Rebecca there? Miss Burnett and the Kelsoes?
I suppose you must be in N. York before now but as I have forgotten your address I will send this to Eldred hoping that you will get it after awhile.
I am sorry that I could not have seen Aida when there. I shall have to make her a special visit, for her benefit alone, sometime in the future. And you may tell her that I would like to create a correspondence with her and she may send me a good long letter the first opportunity.
It is much too pleasant to be indoors today, with the unchanging blue in the vault above, refreshing air and golden fringe of the forest trees, but this is only one of several letters that I must mail tomorrow.
But I must close. Write soon and don’t complain of nothing to write about. Tell me of some of your city beaux—the color of their hair and eyes—how glad they were to see you back again and a thousand other things which could not fail to make material for one letter every week as long as time shall last.
But good bye, remember to all. Does Maria and Tommy* play croquet any more? Yours, Chester Beers
Walton Oct. 21, 1877
Friend Emma,
Yours of the 12th is at home and as it is a little rainy today I will spend at least a part of my time in writing. It looks somewhat gloomy without but I hope it comes not within.
A little rain a little more water upon the earth, how refreshing. All sunshine would soon become a dread and Summer, if always to last would lose all of the pleasure and joy that it now gives me. So I cannot and do not hope or wish for anything but that which now is and enjoy myself in that to the extent of my ability saying, all is well.
Autumn has come. I love its scenes. The trees have cast their burdens by and seek a little rest. They too seem glad when autumn gets them from their bondage free. But I suppose that “true happiness has no localities—no special garb. Where a tear is dried she is there—a wounded heart bound up—she is there—a bruised spirit with the dew of sympathy anointed or a pang of honest suffering soothed—She too is there.”
I suppose if Maria goes to Poughkeepsie Tommy will have to go along of course, which makes the trip more desirable by far than the dread of baking the cakes. Beck (Emma’s cousin who was a teacher and not married) and you are getting extremely social again are you? I had ought to go and say goodbye before winter I s’pose to her.
But as my paper is getting nearly blotted over I guess I shall have to close this and tell you about those girls you ask sometime in the future. I wonder if Bec is going to teach school this winter and do you hear anything from Miss Brunett of late? Has Mr. Pensee been heard from since I was down to Eldred. Is Lottie Myers married yet. [I think Lottie was the sister of my great-grandmother Maria Myers Leavenworth.]
Write soon if you get out of material. Remember what I said about your city beaux in my last before this.
Yours truly, Chester Beers
* Maria may be Emma’s sister and Tommy could be their neighbor Tom Collins. The two never married and Mary Ann (their mother) was quite disappointed, I think I remember reading in a letter.
Previous Posts
1. Is that the New Teacher?
2. The Math Tutor
3. Chester Beers to Friend Emma, Correspondence Continues
4. What is the News? October 29, 1869
5. The Merry Laugh of the Village School
6. Teaching Advice in a Poem
7. I Would Not Wait for Erie’s Train
8. 1870 Highland
9. Mrs. Prindle’s Soliloquy
10. February 28, 1870, What Is the News?
11. Who Teaches in the Village, April 1870
12. Fair Hagan’s Pool, June 1870
13. Shades of Night, 1870
14. Deposit, New York, 1871
15. Dear Father, January 1872
16. Emma Attends Albany Normal, March 1872
17. Lumberland Schoolhouse, 1872
18. Verdant Meadows, June 1, 1873
19. I Have Been Very Busy, August 30, 1873
20. 1874–1875
21. 1876, A Challenging Year
22. Impossible To Be Your Friend, 1876
23. The Old Schoolhouse, May 1876
24. Centennial 1876
26. Save Your Patience, June 1876
27. More 1876 Centennial Images
28. Old Acquaintance, February 1877
29. New York Visit? 1877
