Letter, dated July 7th, 1907 - Passaic NJ:
It has been a long long time since we have heard from you and I miss your letters more than I can tell you. Lillie has seen you since and has given you our whereabouts. She was with me one winter and how I did hate to have her go away. My old friends are few and I so seldom see them. No doubt you have more ??? to learn - that at my time in life I had chosen. Boarding House business - I do not think but know it will shorten my days. I am at it and do not know enough to get out of it. My dear Mother always worked very hard with the exception of bringing up us children. I have had to work harder and will have to keep it up to the end - for the past 4 months I have been sick and required the services of a nurse part of the time. Doctor calls it ?? caused by over work, flesh and limbs painful and badly swollen. I keep four in help. Butler and 3 girls, 20 guests in our house and extra table boarders. I have been away from Middleton two years. I want to go home very much. Can't leave until I get some one to relieve me. We have a charming home here 12 minutes from NY. My guests are mostly men that do business in NY. ? home to lunch. This business is all right if I were 35 years - when 19 years is added I am not as capable. I am now just the age of Mother when she was taken.
Found in "The Parisians: Part One" by Edward Bulwer Lytton. Published by Collier, 1901.
-Click to enlarge photos-
no doubt you were surprised to learn... (and) boarding house business
ReplyDeleteBut the illness is a puzzle!
I think firstly that it's FEET and limbs
ReplyDeleteand that possibly the illness is 'N(e)uretus' (e has been added above) - a misspelling of Neuritis, a condition which affects extremities.
Also 'buisness in NY - NOT home to lunch' - pretty sure it's NOT, when compared to other NOTs in the letter.
A sad letter.