Halfway Brook

Walton, New York March 26, 1877
Friend Emma,
As I think of visiting New York (City) sometime this season (thinking of making you a visit), I have concluded to drop you a line to find out your whereabouts whether Pike Street, Eldred or some other place.

I may not carry out my designs as “business comes before pleasure,” but if nothing interferes I shall see N.Y. before many months pass by, also Eldred. I have been teaching the past winter and seem to be out of employment just now, and should the present circumstances continue long, Walton can’t hold me. But I must close.
Yours truly, Chester Beers

Walton, May 13, 1877
Friend Emma,
Your favor of Apr. 5th came to hand in due time. I don’t think I shall visit New York before Autumn and possibly not then. Just returned from Buffalo and will try and call at Mr. Austin’s sometime in June if nothing prevents. Of course I shall expect your presence and company.

If not to much trouble please send me a note when you arrive home or upon your way as I can not be very positive about stopping when you are not there.
Yours truly, Chester Beers

Emma Austin
103 Christopher St., NYC May 13, 1877
Mr. Beers,
In reply to your note of March, I sent you shortly afterward my address. I am sorry you did not make your anticipated visit to this city or if you have been here that you were unable to call upon me as you promised to do. Continue reading →

This February 1877 letter indicates Chester would like to spend some time with Emma. Though Emma thinks it would be improper, she still asked him about visiting. The friend-acquaintance tiff continued.

Walton, New York February 13, 1877
Friend Emma,
Yours of February first is at hand. Contents noted and now while all the pleasant sunshine of summer prevails without, I’ll spend a few moments indoors penning a good many lines to you.

I know how uninter-esting and dry my letters always are to you. I am also well aware how incom-petent I am to make them anything else.

Friday night your letter came. I’ll proceed with my dry epistle.

I have just returned from church and can’t help exclaiming as I raise my pen and glance around, what pleasant weather it is. More than spring.

How I could enjoy the day with thee. (I’ll make it more than a few minutes) as an old acquaintance or friend whichever thou wilt. It makes no difference to me. But thou dost know and see the impropriety. I do not. Continue reading →

In October Aida Austin, in Eldred, wrote her brother Lon, in New York City. Aida, age 15, at some point started corresponding with Chester, who replied to her, as we will read in future posts.

October 29, 1876
Dear Brother Lon,
I have got the sweetest teacher ever was.

She has gone to the Centennial. I guess she will be back on Monday. I hope so. She went on Friday after school.

Lon, do come down. Write and tell me you will come as soon as Tom gets you a place. Please do. Don’t stay there any longer, but come as soon as you can.

Please write soon and tell me all the news.

Good bye, your ever true and loving sister, Aida
—The Mill on Halfway Brook, p. 191.

Note: All images are from the Library of Congress.

Continue reading →

In June of 1876 Chester wrote to Emma who was in New York City, caring for the five-month-old son of her Cousin Addie. At some point Emma became very (too) focused on Tommy, which seems to have affected her usual sensible manner.

This letter continues their May 20 “discussion” about friendship. We find out that what seems to be banter about Chester’s letters “trying Emma’s patience,” was caused by the secrets that Chester and Emma were keeping from each other.

Walton, New York June 12, 1876
Friend Emma,
As my last gave a pleasant surprise and terribly tried your patience, likewise I hesitate a little in answering so soon. But as that pen to which you ascribe all the faults may have been laid aside, I venture to write a few lines hoping that they may reach you before you leave Pike St. on the 15th of June—is the time set for leaving I believe.

The weather seems very warm here at present but perhaps it is quite cool and pleasant compared with the atmosphere of the city.

Since I wrote you last I have made a short trip to Sull. Co. on a fishing excursion…Four of us left Walton one week ago today and came home last Friday having had a good time…

First tell me a little more of cousin Addie—who her parents are…

I believe I told you that I formed my judgement from things that coincided with that which your own words said.

One of those things was a sentence quoted in my last, signed by one of your own family, and sealed by the same seal of that letter of which we have had so much talk.

Furthermore I found these words in the same letter, “don’t tell Emma.” Continue reading →

Note: All these images are on the Library of Congress site.

In In Emma’s May 1876 letter to her brother Lon, she included her visit to the 1876 Centennial, in Philadelphia, along with discussion of their family’s financial and other problems.

May 1876
Dear Brother Lonnie,
…At the opening exercises of the Centennial, the line of people was half a mile in length and a portion of the exercises could not be heard more than 20 feet from the stage. There must have been great satisfaction in it to those at the end of the line…

How I wished for you at the Centennial. It is wonderful. Lon just to see the buildings alone, that have been erected on the grounds in so short a time and one would think twenty years a little time to have made the immense collections of curiosities exhibited there.

If I could only have spent a week instead of a day, I should have been better satisfied and then I could not have seen the half of what there was to be seen…Yours ever affectionately,
Emma

(Chester had said he didn’t think he would go to the Centennial.)

Note: It was fun to discover so many images of the 1876 Centennial at the Library of Congress site.
Continue reading →

Aida to Emma, May 3, 1876
On May 3, 1876 Aida Austin, in Eldred, wrote her sister Emma, who was in New York City, caring for Cousin Addie’s five-month-old son.

Dear Sister Emma,
I have been busy and could not answer your letter before school commenced the first of May.

I like the teacher real well. She is quite strict and I think she will have a good school after she gets started. She boards to Wilson’s.

…The old school house looks a little better than it did last summer. The wall has been whitewashed and the blackboards has been fixed up. Charlie Wilson painted them…

Father is going to put a picket fence up the lane and in front of the house. It is splendid here now.

Write Soon, Aida Austin Continue reading →

In February of 1876 Emma, her sister Aida, and their mother were in New York City. Aida, age fifteen, was attending school, like Emma had some years earlier.

“I did not go to school this morning because I did not have time to learn my lessons on Saturday…”—The Mill on Halfway Brook, p. 188.

Emma was helping care for two-month-old Tommy, son of her cousin Addie. On March 30 Emma wrote Chester, “As it is impossible for me to be your friend, I hope for a place on the list of acquaintances,” but also asked when Chester would visit them in New York City. Chester replied on April 17.

Walton, New York, April 17, 1876
My Friend Emma,
Yours of March 30 came in due time, was perused with pleasure and now as it is not the least possible trouble, but a pleasure instead, as it has always been before, I will try and manufacture a short epistle which cannot fail to pass unnoticed the keenest critic….

But enough of this. Spring is knocking at the door, the birds returning again with their joyful songs. Every thing is pleasant without. How I would like to be a little time with them as Spring bursts forth bringing with it so many things that make us happy. What better time or more appropriate season could we choose to visit our friends.

As to coming to New York I have not yet decided. I am yet in Walton. I may stay here more than a month and in less than one week I may leave town. I don’t think I shall go to the Centennial. Continue reading →

The year 1876 was a difficult one for the Austin family. Henry lost his New York City business as a result of the 1873 national financial panic and the 1875 depression. He returned to Eldred as a full time farmer.

Added to the Austin’s financial woes, Emma took on the responsibility for the care of her cousin Addie’s son Thomas, born in January 1876.

January 24, 1876
In January 1876 (seven months after his wife died) Chester wrote Emma.

Chester recalled his time in Lumberland and wanted to hear the news from Emma. His letter indicates that Lumberland was his first school and Emma was the first student who caught his attention. Emma must have teased him that his writing was boring, in previous letters.

Friend Emma,
As I sit by the window viewing the fruits of winter-barren fields and forests bare, with now and then a wandering snowflake coming slowly down as if reluctant to be seen alone upon earth’s broad domain, my thoughts revert to scenes that have passed and events that occurred during my four months stay at Lumberland.

And as I sit and think over the great changes that every day present themselves to view in places where I now am and wonder what they have been for a much longer time at Halfway Brook—And as I wonder my curious desire says—Emma write me a great long letter & give me all the news you can.

Your last remains unanswered if my memory serves me true for which an apology I’ll not try to make or polished words to give why I did not sooner make reply—yet you have not entirely been forgotten, like most of your schoolmates under my care for one term of school.

For meet them where I will their names I cannot tell and their features are all a blank—of course some few exceptions are; but in all the different schools I’ve been I soon forget the pupil’s name—except the first which stands in memory brighter than all the rest… Continue reading →

Chester must have been ill when he last visited Emma, who must also have been ill. In this next letter Chester invites Emma to visit him and his wife in Walton.

Walton, N.Y., April 26, 1874
Friend Edith,
Yours of the 23d is now at hand contents noted to which I with pleasure reply.

As to teaching the school I think I could enjoy it very well, but other things are to be considered as I have medicine to last more than one month that would be no inducement to lead me to take the school therefore I shall have to decline.

I should have come back and stayed with you that night had not the Doctor urged me so strongly to stay with him, then of course you could not have enjoyed my visit very much (as you were not feeling well).

I would like to have stayed much longer but my time seemed to be needed at home as it was good weather for making sugar while I was there and I had not a surplus of help at home.

I will try and stay longer when I come again. Write when you can and come and see us. Yours truly,
Chester Beers

The Country Versus the City
In July 1874 a tired Emma wrote her City Cousin Tina Austin.

“The country loses none of its charms by a contrasting view of New York City at this season of the year…

“I do not feel as if I could possibly teach now or should commence Monday. We are all well with the exception of Mother… Ever your cousin, E.E. Austin” Continue reading →