.NDkz.NjU4
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4 Sept[ember] – Walker is so well that he is daily walking 5 miles [‘5 miles’ underscored] now
Fourth St[reet] [New York, NY] – Tuesday night 1 Sept[ember] [18]’63
Dear Ann
I walked home to dinner & found that David [Spence] and our domestic, Ann, had both returned from Orange [New Jersey], - & had travel= =led back by the same train, leaving there at 3.56 & arriving at J[ersey] City [New Jersey] or N[ew] York at 4.45. – The left all well at Orange. –
After T[ea] I turned out and walked to 30th St[reet] & back, thus per= =forming 7 miles today, & with the usual freshening effect. – David had gone to bed before my return; & I suppose he may have had to entertain Cha[rle]s Van Ness, who had called soon after I went out.
I guessed pretty nearly right when I put down about 66 [degrees] for the max =imum temperature today; as on coming home, I found it had been only 65 1/2 [degrees] – As it was 5 minutes past 5 when I left the house, I should have ridden home but for the temperature; for I wanted to exercise to make myself comfortably warm. –
When I was leaving our door this morning & passing Palmer’s, I observed him at work with a screw-driver at one of the 2 gas- lights on each side of the door to his Bar-room, but had forgotten all about it, until I turned out to take my walk after T[ea]. He had entirely removed those 2 lamps; & instead of them has fixed one of them, or one like them (with 4 faces of glass) on the top of the iron railing dividing his area from ours, & within 1/2 foot of the rail in front. It emits a very strong, bright light, that I do not like, & bewilders one by its glare, in going up or down our steps. It rests as much on our side of the fence as on his, & to make room for the lamp he has cut off the upper end of one of the iron rails – i.e. the part above the horizontal bar that the rails pass thro’ – It is a most impudent act on his part, in default of our consent, -which he did not see fit to ask for. If this lamp were permitted
him
to remain, it would save ^ the expence of 2 lights on each lintel as before, by making this one answer for both; & would probably [?] =ble him to dispense with the large ugly lamp he erected long ago at the corner; the new lamp answering still better for his purpose of attracting customers. – What I particularly dislike is that it has the effect, still more than had already been produced, of making this house appear to be a part of his establishment. He has no more right to do this than to make a window in the wall of the back building overlooking our prem =ises. – Some months ago, one afternoon, when Walker & I had rid =den home to dinner, when Mary let us in, she said something to him that I did not hear: it was to call his attention to one of those Free-lovers hand-bills that had, during the day, been affixed to the pump. Instead of coming in, or speaking to me (which I should much have preferred) Walker, as I stood on the steps, went into
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Palmer’s Bar-room, & had a rather long talk with him on the subject; & then he came out & with his knife, removed the said hand-bill, which (as I stood on the steps whilst he was in the Bar-room) I saw was attracting the attention of people, who stopped to read it. – I never understood exactly what passed between Walker & Palmer. – At night when I turned out for my walk, Palmer was standing on the foot walk, & accosted me by name, & complained that my nephew had “insulted” him. – Some words passed between us. He was half drunk at the time, I thought. He said that you & he had agreed very well together, & professed to have much respect for you. From one point to another the talk went on, contrary to my wish, & I got out of temper, natural[l]y enough, -and said his house was a nuisance to the neighbourhood. He replied it was a more respectable one than ours! (which was what proved him to be drunk). He then said in reference to the pump-hand-bill; that if we had nuisances now to complain of, he would not aid us in stopping them, but would aid in producing other, greater, & more frequent nuisances; - to which I replied, “if you do, I shall report you to the police.” That ended the talk, & then I re-entered our house, & went up stairs into Walker’s bed room, where he & W[illia]m were sitting.
I told Walker of what had just passed, & complained of him for starting the thing by what he said to Palmer. He said he had not insulted him at all, but did not say what had passed between them. I requested him in all such cases to consult me first, as I was major-domo; for instead of saving me trouble, he only brought me into trouble, by speaking to Palmer.
I made the same request of Mary & Ann. – It was about a fortnight, I think, after this, that one morning, after Walker had been gone to the office an hour or more, Mary came to tell me that whilst Ann was in front of the house, out- =side, an old man had come along & stuck up another of those hand-bills. – I went out at once. It was still wet & I readily removed it with a table knife, & came in again.
And since that time, now months ago, there has been no repetition. Mary said Ann would not know the old man if she saw him again. – I asked why Ann had not at once called a Police-man. Mary said there was none at hand. – I have doubts whether Palmer was anywise instrumental in causing these 2 hand-bills, or those you complained of whilst I was in England, to be stuck on the
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pump. – And since my talk with him I have supposed his threat of aiding & abetting in further & greater nuisances was only idle drunk =en talk. If any have occurred I have not heard of them; & specially requested that I ought might be told, if any should occur. –
Tonight as I took my walk I cogitated over the best course to take as to this objectionable lamp; and it ended in my addressing the following note to D[octo]r Sabine
“365 – 4th St[reet] 1 Sept[ember] 1863. My dear Sir – Your tenant next door has today put up a lamp upon the iron railing that separates your area from ours, which, as you will at once see, he has no right to do without our consent. - I shall be much obliged to you, therefore, to have it removed at once. [‘have...once’ underscored] – I have not spo= =ken to him about it; as I would rather not have any communication whosoever with him, upon this or any other subject – yours truly – Rutson Maury” –
I then turned to & wrote a 4 paged note to Mrs. Sabine, in which I have not anywise alluded to what I have written to her husband, but have told her of your letter of 13/17th ult[im]o [13/17 August]
affectionate
& Tobins ^ mention of her in his letter of 15 June - & of his having rec[eive]d 2 letters recently from her: - I then tell her fully about Walker’s sad accident; my wish that you wont return the sooner on account of it, - your previous career of pleasure & improving looks & health – a few lines as to Mytton; -my receipt of her note of 9th Aug[us]t in spite of the Dutch [underscored] Christian name, & No. 363 [second ‘3’underscored] instead of 365 [‘5’ underscored]; & that I trust she has recovered her health & that her family are all well.
If I am stirring early enough, I purpose carrying these 2 notes myself to 23rd St[reet] & leaving them at the house before I go down to the office. – I trust you will approve of the course I have taken as to the D[octo]r & his wife: - beginning as it does with the “fortiter” & ending with the “suaviter” –or vice versa. [Suaviter in modo; fortiter in re]
5 Hanover St[reet] 4 1/4 p.m. – I took the 2 Sabine notes (riding up in a 4th Av[enue] car) & left them at the house just before 1/2 past 9. I asked the servant if the D[octo]r was in town, & she said he was; but I did not ask to see him; & then I walked back to 4th St[reet] – laden with 2 large melons, that I bought for 15¢ each, & more for the sake of the seed than anything else, tho’ today has been deci-
(72 [degrees] max[imu]m) much
=dedly warmer than yesterday ^ - I was ^ heated when I got home, owing chiefly to my heavy load. – I found that a note from V[irgini]a Draper to me had been left at the house by the Postman, but had not time to read it before I got down to the office. – Mr. Sydney Henop had called (whilst I was gone to 23rd St[reet] to enquire how Walker was going on, & to know when he was to return to the City. Ann responded to the first enquiry, but was unable to do so to the second.
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I was still heated, when ready to go down to the office & too much so to walk, & I wanted to save time; so I rode down in a strong breeze, but well buttoned up, (like Corbyn Warwick,) & I read the Times as I rode. The little walk from Aster House down was genial, restoring circulation & making me comfortable. – It has been a most delightful day as to Tempera= =ture; neither too warm not too cold, with all the office windows open, & I have had much to occupy me. – I found W[illia]m at the office, & on my desk 2 letters – whereof one was from Mrs. Janet H. Graham at Balt[im]o[re] [Maryland] with the 6 mo[nth]s [?] for Ja[me]s, who, she says, has enjoyed good health in the past 6 mo[nth]s & advising her d[ra]ft for said [?] $167 60/100, which I have today paid.
The other letter surprised me – being a flag of truce letter of 19th Aug[us]t [underscored] from Nan, which I contrived to copy in time to send copy to Harriet by 3 1/2 p.m. mail: - & I now hand you press copy of my manuscript.
W[illia]m kindly relieved me of Nan’s troublesome commission, by writing about it to the Provost Marshall of Wash[ingto]n D. C., who is a Phila[delphia] friend of his & who may put one on the track of finding what Nan’s friends what to know. – Miss Mary Gilpin is in luck. – Warrenton [Virginia] is the place where old Mr. Mordecai had his famous ladies school. – The Colo[nel] [Gilpin] happened to come into office, with some little packet for Matthew’s daughter Mary, & I gave him this late piece of news about his sister. I also told him about Walker, which he took very philosophically, & seemed more interested about John Russell, asking him his name, what book he was reading etc. etc.
Just as W[illia]m had finished writing to said Provost Marshall, who should step in but Mr. N. M. Ludlow. He has been a fortnight on his way from S[ain]t Louis [Missouri], & is at the Lafarge House with Sophy & Miss Benson. I gave him Harriet’s letter of 28th ult[im]o [28 August] to read; & being occupied with other matters appertaining to the office, I had very little time to talk with him.
William went off, right away, to the Lafarge House to have a great talk with Sophy, & he has only just returned, & has hurried off to catch the 5.10 train for Orange [New Jersey] (I hope he wont “get into the Express [underscored] train by mistake.”)[‘by mistake’ underscored] –
4th St[reet] Wednesday night. – I rode home because I did not leave the office until 5 or 10 minutes past 5. I took a good nap after dinner, and I have taken 3 miles walk since T[ea], 7 since I came in I have written 3 pages to Matthew as to office matters, especially about my non[underscored]-purchase of some £1250 to £1300 today which has vexed me, because Gold has gone up when I supposed it would go down. – Another lamp has today been fixed up next door resting on the cross-bar from the front railing of Palmer’s to his house. It matches that put up yesterday which has not been removed. – On your return it may be expedient to erect a wooden screen in front, between Palmer’s area & ours. But I shall not enter upon it in your absence. \ W[illia]m told me that that one of the artery ligatures has sloughed off & that the other is expected to be found to have done so at tomorrow’s dressing. He says that the healing process between the 2 last dressings has gone on much faster than in same interval previously. He considers further night watching no longer necessary. He & Sarah divided the watching again last night.
[Marginalia] They have arranged (unasked by me) with D[octo]r Pearson to meet me tomorrow afternoon in Walker’s room.
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(5)
3rd Sept[ember] Thursday night. – I walked to the office today, & altogether have walked fully 5 miles.
I went to Orange by 1 p.m. train & on my return reached this side before 5. – The train was rather behind time in getting to Orange. –
I went straight up to Walker’s room, & found him undergoing the opera =tion of the dressing of the wound. – The D[octo]r was washing & sponging it, so I saw it all completely exposed; - it looked very healthy, according to my judgement. The discharge from it is now very trifling, for I saw the lint that had been taken off, with 48 hour’s discharge on it.
There is still one ligament that has not sloughed off. – The elbow is quite flexible. Walker himself, by muscular effort of the wounded arm itself ( just as if it were all still perfect,) brought the stump to a right angle with the upper arm, & then straightened it again.
There is to be only one more dressing by Dr. Pearson, vizt. the day after tomorrow, & then it will devolve upon Sarah to do it. – Walker is in perfect health, & has recovered all his colour, & now walks about 5 miles [‘5 miles’ underscored] at intervals, during the day. – I walked with him, at his own invita= =tion, for about 20 minutes, before I took my seat in the return train.
for good & all
Mrs. Bishop left yesterday ^ to come on a visit somewhere on this
these
side the Hudson. [River] – Under ^ circumstances, & with D[octo]r. Pearson’s full sanction, it is intended that our trio shall bid good bye to Orange on Sat[urday] next, the day after tomorrow, & return to 4th St[reet] that after-
noon. – And on Monday, the 7th, Walker & Sarah are to go to “Dunning
=ton” for 10 days or so; and William to set out for S[aint] Louis [Missouri].
I was pleased with D[octo]r Pearson. – I asked him to make out his bill; & it is agreed that I am to remit him the amount in Maury Bro[ther]s check, p[aya]ble [underscored] to his order, on B[ank] of Commerce or B[ank] of N[ew] York.
Walker gave me a letter to post here that he had directed in pencil with his rig[struck-through] left hand, to Mr. Edwards, the father of the Br[itish] Vice Consul. It was very legible, but the writing was that of a right[underscored]-handed person.
He said he had done scarcely anything for a week past in practi =sing writing; but it will be part of his employment at “Dunnington.” He seemed more cheerful to-day than he was a week ago – the ef= =fect I suppose of plenty of exercise in the open air. – I had no talk with him in connection with the book [underscored] presented to him on my visit a week ago, & I know not whether he has read any part of it, or not. – He saw me off on the express train at 4 p.m., & he gave me at parting the same cordial grip [‘cordial grip’ underscored] as before. –
On coming home to dinner I found the following note from D[octo]r Sabine. “46 West 23rd St[reet]” (no date but written I presume 2nd Sept[ember]) My dear Sir I received your note this morning. – I called on Mr. Palmer, & examined the lamp – placed on the fence; and I have requested him not to allow
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the lamp to project over your Sister’s property. The iron fence I should have supposed, from looking at it, stood entirely on my own prop =erty; but if not, he will have to remove it within his own fence. I remain yours truly – L. T. Sabine” –
It is rather curious, or strange, that when I penned my note to the D[octo]r, I had quite forgotten that this iron railing belongs to him [double underscore], & was under the impression (until dispelled by his note) that was joint [double underscore] property, like a party wall; else I should not have written in so peremptory a style, & per= =haps not have written at all; for the mere projection of the lamp some 2 or 3 inches on our side of the fence is not important. – Palmer has not altered the position of the lamp one jot since the D[octo]rs survey. – As I came up our steps to dinner yesterday, (walking to our house from the Bowery,) Palmer was [scintinising?] the fence & the lamp, in company with another person, & making motions with his hand & arm, as if to shew that the whole of the lamp stood within his own domain. – I took no bother of his move= =ments, which I thought were intended to attract my attention & to invite a personal discussion. I merely concluded that the D[octo]r had called to see & speak about it. – I am now glad that I did not commit myself more distinctly as to the ownership of the dividing iron fence. – It is still [com= =petent?] for us to mask [underscored] the light by erecting a wooden screen if we like.
I read both notes after dinner to Matthew & David Spence. – The only suggestion M[atthew] made was that you & he will have to buy 2 adjoining lots in or about the Central Park [New York, NY], & build 2 house on them for the 2 families to live in. – I know not whether this was in joke, or in earnest. – If in earnest, I should object thereto most decidedly, on the part of you & myself, as too old [‘too old’ underscored] for any such movement. If we have to move at all – as it is too likely we shall ‘ere long be forced to do by increasing & intolerable nuisances. – I would not go half as far as from this to the Central Park; & it would be well worthy of con =sideration whether we ought not to vacate Manhattan Island [New York, NY], & go to the other side of one or other of the two rivers. [Hudson and East Rivers] – But it will be time enough to talk over all these matters after you return.
4 Sept[ember] Friday night. Part of the last page & all on this page have been written to-night. – Palmer has done nothing about the lamp, & I presume he will not, unless I speak to him about it, & I have no such intention.
Before I began page 5, I last night made a copy of 2 letters rec[eive]d in ^ this [‘is’ overwritten with ‘e’] morning from Ja[me]s & Rutson, dated 26th ult[im]o. [26 August] – You can shew the former, or both of them, to Fontaine, if you like. – I made a press copy of them to-day, & enclosed it to Harriet (at 3 1/2 p.m.) along with press copy of a short note today to Aunt E[lizabeth] relative to my visit to Walker yesterday, & added a few lines in pencil to H[arriet] acknowledging her letter of the 30th which enclosed a note from her to Walker (that I gave him yesterday) & gave a more satisfactory report of the family health at Bleak House, than her note to me of the 28th had done.
Mr. Spence will remain here as my guest & companion until Sarah
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& Walker return from Dunnington, and as long after that as he pleases.
I have had a very hard day’s work today of one kind or another, so that it was past 6 when I left 5 Hanover St[reet], & about 7 [double underscore] when Mr. Spence & I sat down to dinner. – After dinner David [Spence] when out, & I took a good nap, & woke up (naturally) at 9, where I found Cha[rle]s Van Ness had just come into the front parlour. – I had had sleep enough, & proceeded at once to make T[ea] for him & myself, & he remained talking with me until 1/2 past 10. He declined my offer of a glass of Sherry after T[ea], as he said he had a slight cold or cough, (as have I too) but he did great execution among a dish of peaches that I set before him at T[ea], demolishing (as I was pleased to see) at least half a dozen! – His Sister is supposed to be now staying with Mrs. Barton. – As I let him out at the front door, David walked in, & after amusing himself for 1/2 an hour or so in reading, making extracts from, Dana’s Book of Poetry, he has gone to bed.
We rec[eive]d this morning the letters via [steamer] Africa, & among them I had yours of 21/22nd ult[im]o [21/22nd August] from Welfield Place. [Liverpool, England] I sent the enclosed note for Mrs. King to King’s Sons before 2; but I think it was past that hour before I could manage to find time to complete the perusal of your letter to me. I then gave it to Matthew to carry up with him to Cornwall [New York]. He was well laden; for besides my usual supply of Peaches, he had a bas
for
=ket of grapes as a present from Mrs. King to Mrs. Gilpin, ^ joint bene- =fit of Mrs. G[ilpin] & the rest of the ladies. – Matthew wished me to tell Colo[nel] Gilpin – if I could manage to see him – that Mrs. Rich[ar]d Gilpin, is to arrive in Irving Place [Staten Island, NY] on Monday evening & to go up with him to Cornwall on Tuesday afternoon. – Matthew was busy today in the office, letter writing &c, every moment of his time, just as I was too.
About an hour of my valuable time today – or more than that -was occupied in labour for Mrs. Pollard. – There was a letter to Maury Bro[ther]s by Overland mail this morn[in]g, dated 12 Aug[ust] from a house in San Francisco [California], enclosing us a sight d[ra]ft on Duncan Sherman & Co[mpany] (payable in Gold) [‘payable in Gold’ underscored] for $142.57/100 the proceeds of which we are directed to remit to Mrs. Pollard. – Of course it was a remittance from Sam: - Had it been payable in Currency [underscored] there would have been very little bother. The clerk at D[uncan] S[herman] & Co[mpany] did not know me & my signature of Maury Bro[ther]s at[struck-through] on the back of the d[ra]ft had to be identified at the B[ank] of Commerce. They then paid me the Gold in $2 1/2 [underscored] pieces. – Gold was jumping up & down today, just like a parched pea! – fluctuating between 34 & 31 pr[emiu]m. When I had these $2 1/2 pieces I went to Gilpin’s room to get the latest quotation of Gold. It was 33 1/8 to 33 1/4. I then went to Colgate & Hoffman (old Mr. Berber’s successors) where after much delay whilst others (both buyers & sellers of all sorts of money) were being served, I sold said Gold at 33% prem[iu]m, producing in Greenbacks $189.59 – whereunto (as a comm[ission]: for my services!) cross as I was with all this consumption of my time, I added $10 41/100, & before I left the office (at 6 p.m.) I wrote a page to Mrs. P[ollard] enclosing $200 – in Greenbacks. (one note of $100 & two of $50) and said I had thus in= =creased slightly the remittance from Sam, as a small acknowledg =ment of her kindness & assiduity to Eliza [struck-through] Louisa. – I would
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have ^ liked to have deferred all this until tomorrow, but it seemed too important to secure the existing premium in Gold, & very much now so to get this remittance promptly [underscored] to our worthy & improvised friend. There is usually but one [underscored] opportunity each week to N[ew] O[rleans] [Louisiana], & the steamer’s [mail] bag leaves at 11 a.m. tomorrow. It was therefore all im= =portant that I should mail my letter to Mrs. P[ollard] today [underscored]; & I was very glad when I did so on my way to dinner at 6 1/4 p.m. – (So much for “damned yankees,” [‘damned yankees’ underscored] as all we Northerners are call =ed by these silly Southerners!) –
I read M[atthew] F[ontaine] M[aury]’s letter of 17 Aug[us]t to the London Times, in the N[ew] Y[ork] Times of this morning. – There is one most important fallacy in it. He ignores “counter-revolution” at the South; for that would be equal to pitching himself & his confreres overboard! - & that is just the finale that I expect. –
I sent a final basket of Peaches today by William to Orange. – He is fond of opposing my wishes, just from the love of opposition -& I might say, just like all the rest of our nephews & nieces. But still, with all these drawbacks, Nephews & Nieces are a far better institution than Dog & Cats. –
I am struck with the incident of Fontaine’s begging or borrowing that Sovere[i]gn from you at the Railway Station on your reaching L[iver]pool. It was high time to cut him down in the matter of 40/- p[er] w[ee]k.
This morning at breakfast [‘at breakfast’ struck-through] we had to breakfast the finest of those 2 melons that I tugged down Broadway from 21st St[reet] or so to this house 2 mornings ago. – I never ate a better one, & so I must send you some of the seeds from it in this letter if it will hold any. – I am sorry indeed that you could not manage to see Mrs. Maitland – formerly Ann Gott – Still more sorry am I to learn there is so little hope of Capt[ain] Maude’s recovery. –
I hope that Mr. Hodgson secured a good stateroom for you on the [steamer] Persia for 7th Nov[ember] - & that you have decided not to sail sooner.
In a letter we had today from Hodgson Mathew & Co[mpany] , they say that Mr. Mather had just arrived, & that they are sending us further consignments of cotton – some 100 to 150 bales, I think.
We have not only 2 lots of Cotton sol [struck-through] unsold – one of 400 & another of 65 bales. -
there has been a terrible tumble in fancy [underscored] Stocks this week, & very little change in solid [underscored] ones. – Harlaem [Harlem] R[ail] R[oad] shares that (like the Tulip-mania in Holland) were recently up to 170! [underscored] were today sold at 115 [underscored]. – Mr. Chase has been urged by Bankers etc, to put out $50 millions of legal-tender, Treasury notes, bearing 5% Interest, & has decided to do so: $35 millions to be taken by N[ew] York Banks & $15 milliions by those of Boston & Phila[delphia]. It is this that causes the tumble in fancy Stocks, because Bankers are calling in their Loans on such Stocks. Your affectionately, R[utson] Maury
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Copy of Flag of truce letter, postmarked Old Point Comfort [Virginia] 31 Aug[us]t, rec[eive]d 2 Sept[embe]r
My dear Uncle Rutson Milton [North Carolina] Aug[us]t 19th (1863)
I write to ask your good offices in behalf of a son of one of our neighbours, who was taken prisoner, & has not since been heard of. His name is Edward R. Stamps, 1st Sergeant of Lewis’ Light Artillary, Garnett’s battalion, A. P. Hill’s division. He was captured on or about 13th July, during the retreat from Gettysburg [Pennsylvania]. It was reported that he was in Washington [D.C.] His parents are painfully uneasy about him; & as they have no friends at the North. I offered to write to you to ask you to make some enquiry about him, & let me know what you can hear of him. And if he needs money, will you advance whatever he may require, & it shall be repaid to your account either to me, or to R. H. M. & Co[mpany]. If you will send your answer to Ad- =miral S[amual]. P[hillips] Lee [United States Navy] I am sure he will take some trouble to foreward it. – I hate to trouble you; but his father & mother are so un= =happy about him.
We are all well except the boys, who have whooping cough. Charley has suffered the most, & I have been quite uneasy about him: He was so weak & feeble. I have been giving him Quinine & very strong Coffee – as much of the latter as he would drink. He had hardly recovered from an attack of Dip[h]theria he had about 6 weeks ago.
I long to hear something of you all. – I received yesterday Aunt’s letter of 3rd April: - it was a great disappointment, as I had thought it was a letter from England.
Miss Mary write me that she is teaching in Warrenton, No[rth] Ca[rolina]. She is well, &so far well pleased.
Sally & cousin Eliza have gone to keep house with cousin Anne in Charlottesville [Virginia]. Robert & his family are at the Alum Springs; and the rest of the kin are all well.
My love to the boys, Sarah & yourself from your affectionate niece Anne F[ontaine]. Maury.
