.NDc4.NjQz
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via [Steamer] Persia [underscored] 4th St[reet] [New York, NY] Sunday night 26 July 1963
Dear Ann
As I called at the Reading Room yesterday on my way to dinner I saw that the [Steamer] City of N[ew] York was coming up & would arrive about 4 p.m. – she having sailed from L[iver]pool [UK] on the 15th; so after dinner, instead of awaiting the arrival of our guests, I rode down to the P[ost] O[ffice] & got there just as it was closing up, but in time to get 2 letters out of our box – one from Hodgson Mather & Co[mpany]. containing their invoice & b[ill] [o]f lading of an entirely unex= =pected windfall – in the shape of 200 bales Am[erica]n Cotton consigned to us by said City of N[ew] York for account of some friend of theirs; - & the letter was yours – or rather your 2 letters under one envelope – one of them written on 12/13 July at Henry James’ place near Watford [UK], & the other 14th at 47 Chester Square [London, UK]. – I did not open any of these letters until I had welcomed our cousins, Jody & Sally [Maury], & we had given them an early T[ea].
I am glad to have so pleasant an ac= =count of your journey up to Watford [UK]
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& of your reception there & in Chester Square.
You certainly have an extraordinary talent for probing into the private history of those who happen to be your fellow travellers.
the reason did not state my address when I left my card at Henry James’ office was, as I suppose, because I was in the point of bidding good bye to Lon= =don. –
I experienced so much kindness from our cousins both the seniors & juniors, in Chester Square, & they always made me feel so entirely at home there, that I cannot do less than desire you to make my affectionate & grateful remem= =berances to all whom I saw there.
As the omnibusses to from the residence of our late friend Mr. Turner pass along Baker St.[London, UK] , I may remind you that Mrs. Menlove lodges at No. 22 Upper [double underscored] Baker St. – or did when I was there - & I am sure it would be most agreeable to her & her eldest son if you could manage to call & see them.
I would like to be kindly remembered to Mr. & Mrs. Harlowe also.
I hope you will manage to see Edgar
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Corrie & his wife & children. – His office is No. 26 Lombard St. [London, UK] – Please give him the chance of inviting you to his house at Black-heath. –
I also hope you will notify Mr. & Mrs. Fred[ric]k Rodewald of your presence in London. His house is “Feldheine,” Wimbledon Common, London, S[outh] W[est].
I suppose that Sarah Gilpin will write to you by the [Steamer] Persia, as to Miss Dilworth.
When Matthew came to town on Thurs= =day last, I was glad to find that the Colo[nel] [Gilpin] had been up to Cornwall [NY] on Mon= =day & spent the night there.
Yesterday Walker had the bad taste (as I conceive it) to go off to Orange N[ew].J[ersey]. to stay until Monday morning with those 2 girls, instead of staying in town to attend Mrs. Duer’s funeral.
to enable Sarah W[illia]m & myself to go, we postponed our dinner hour until 1/2 past 4. – It was a warm day -Therm[omente]r up to 84 [degrees]; so we rode down by a yellow car, & crossed at the Barclay St. Ferry in the 1/2 past 1 boat, & returned in the same way at 1/4 past 3 & thus reached 4th St. by 4 p.m. – Our idea
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was to ride from the ferry in a R[ail] R[oad] bus. But with all our exertions, there was only room for Sarah to stand [underscored] in the inside, & hardly room for W[illia]m & me on the roof. – After we had thus uncom= =fortably fixed ourselves, I decided that it was great folly to travel in such a way, so I dismounted & hired a one horse hack, greatly to S[arah] & W[illiam]’s satis= =faction as well as my own, & thus we rode coolly & comfortably for 50¢.
Mr. John A. King passed us in his carriage, & as Sarah pointed him out to me, we passed your friend the Rev[eren]d Lot Jones, travelling to the church on foot,. We were within 5 minutes walk of the church when we passed him, or I should certain =ly have invited him to take a seat in our hack. –
It was 2 when we reached the church & it was about 20 minutes after that when the body arrived & was brought in .
The coffin was all screwed up; & I wished it had not, that I might have taken a last look at the fact of our excellent friend. – The Rev[eren]d Lot Jones without canonicals , walked beside the
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(5) officiating clergyman – as the body was brought into the church, & it was followed by Mr. Duer & 2 or 3 of his sons, [Jame]s, Gracie, & Edw[ar]d King, Mr. & Mrs. Edgar Richards, Mrs. Halsey & some of her daugh= =ters, Ju[nio]r A. King (looking very young) & Dr. [Ch...?] King (looking very old & broken down)
Dr. Wilkes
A.Grace & R. Gracie ^ , some of the Duers & Robinson’s. – Altogether there was a large muster of the clan, & a number of juvenile members. – The 90th Psalm was sung, also a hymn, also “I heard a voice etc: - The service lasted about & was very impressive got out 40 minutes ^. – After we had left [struck-through] ^ the church, I offered my hand to James G. King & Gracie King, & John A. King Sen[io]r, but I said nothing, & then we 3 walked back to the Ferry. – Had the time permitted I would have liked to follow the body to its final resting place at Jamaica; & I dare say if I had offered to do so, I could have found a place in one of the carriages; but with Jody & his wife here, I could not do more than I did.
I enclose another pleasant letter from Harriet at Still-water [MN]; re[ceive]d last evening
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28 July – Tuesday night – Under an envelope to a third party ([little?] Mr. H’s house) I have send, prepaid, another envelope to you, con= =taining copy of James’ unmercifully long but interesting letter of 8/15 July – part of which (say one entire sheet) you are to shew to Fontaine; & containing Miss Gilpin’s letter to you, & copy of my note of invitation to Miss Lippett. – It would have suited me far better if Jody & his wife had left us at a later hour today, as it involved my rising soon after 5; when I would gladly have spent 2 or 3 hours more in bed; as I sat up late, in order to finish copying off the whole of James’ terribly long letter. – However, Jody & wife got off in good time, & would enjoy their journey to Albany [NY] by steamboat [underscored] far more I am sure, than in the cars [underscored] on this warm day; & I took amends for a short night & lots of writing again today, by retiring to my room after dinner & securing fully 2 hours nap in my easy chair. –
By the [Steamer] Scotia I rec[eive]d your letter of 15/17th; & read to the 2 W’s [Walker & William] & Sarah, after T[ea], the whole
[Marginalia – top of page]
July Min. Max.
21 72 79 22 67 1/2 78 1/2 23 68 79 24 70 78 25 73 80 26 73 1/2 84 27 77 1/2 85 28 74 84
Mortality weeks end[in]g [18]63 18 July 663 25 “ 684
Last year 19 July 586 26 “ 499
1861 20th July 532 27 “ 530
1860 496 504
NB. Of the past weeks deaths about 25 are again from violence in the riot week – but 421 are 5 year old & under 5, & 170 are from [Chol[era]?] [infantune?] - both of which are I believe far in excess of any former year under these 2 heads. –
[Marginalia – Right side]
Has that letter of mine to you via [steamer] Africa [underscored] ever reached you?
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of it except your conversation with our cousin Tom, & your comments thereon. – Matthew was entirely too busy to read it before 3, but can do so on his return from Cornwall [NY] the day after tomorrow. –
The most important letter via [steamer] Scotia, how =ever, is this one of 22 May that I now hand to you from Tobin [underscored], along with one of the same date to Mytton. – I have made a fair copy of the former, & a good press copy from my manuscript – tho’ it was an irksome task on so warm a day. – Walker had opened the envelope containing Tobin’s 2 letters, & both he & W[illia]m had read them both before I got to the Office: - & under the circumstan =ces [‘under...ces’ underscored]– to wit, the 2 mo[nth]s silence on his part & the family anxiety about him, I of course could not blame them, & did not say one word of censure. - It is a great relief to all of us to have heard from him at last, when there seemed cause enough to fear the worst [‘fear...worst’ underscored] It seems to me that this attack may result in his now having become accli =mated [‘acclimated’ underscored]; & with proper care, he may, as I hope & trust, now be able to cope with the very trying [‘very trying’ underscored] climate of Shanghai [China]. –
As Jessie has thro’ Mary Bold (or Eliza= =beth) requested a copy of my bearded [underscored] photograph, I now enclose 2 copies, I of which you can give to her with my kind love, & the other you can enclose, if you like, to Tobin, with my much kinder & warmer love. (( - I post this afternoon
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(thro’ John Russell’s agency) your 2 notes, to V[irgini]a Draper & Mrs. Sabine, under fresh envelopes, in each of which I enclosed a note of my own, stating our tidings from Tobin & his decision to remain in China.
I am much obliged to you for sending the 6 doz[en] Port Wine to No. 11 W[elfield] Place, [Liverpool, UK], & was glad that it & your own addition of superlative Eau de Vie, appear to have been so acceptable.
I wish you would thank Elizabeth & Mary Bold for their kind & very welcome letters to- -day, inasmuch as I have not time to do so. – Please inform me, if you have not yet done so, what you paid for this 6 doz[en] Port that I may at once enter it to your Credit.
We have ordered by Hodgson Mather & Co[mpany] to sell as soon as possible, & without reserve, the 200 bales Cotton. We only got the samples at 1 p. m. today: 58¢ will cover Invoice cost, & Mat =thew was trying until 3 p.m. to effect a sale at 61¢. [underscored] He left “re infecta:” but at 4 1/2 p.m. it was sold at 61¢, & than I went off at once to J. G. King’s Son’s & contracted with them for the needful sum in Sterling, to be delivered to us 10 [to] 13 days hence (£7,500 to £7,800) at 141 1/4 %. Had Matthew staid in town (as I think he ought) he would have got the Ex[change] cheaper I have no doubt, & perhaps a higher price for the Cotton. – It was just the same case a week ago, when, after he left the City, I closed for 242 bales of Littledale’s cotton consignment at 58¢ & 139%. – By today’s sale we earn $1,300 nett [underscored] comm[ission]: - \ Sarah went at 8 a.m. today to Dun =nington, & returned at 7 1/2 p.m. Y[ou]rs affectionately Rutson Maury
