.NTAz.NjY4
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Via [steamer] Scotia [underscored] 4th St[reet] [New York, NY] 20 Sept[ember] [18]63 – Sunday night
Dear Ann
We have heard nothing more of Fontaine since his letter to me of the 16th; & I therefore imagine he is bound for the C[onfederate] S[tates of] A[merica] – His name is not on the list of pas =sengers in the Boston papers. –
Yesterday was another busy day with me
off
After sending ^ the letter for England, I wrote a page to Mrs. Cox & a page to James: then I wrote to Harriet with press copy of my manuscript copy of the letters from Fontaine, Walker & Sarah; - and I wound up with a letter to D[octo]r W[illia]m Pearson at Orange [New Jersey], reminding him that he had not sent me his Bill, telling him about Walkers condition, with the 1 ligature still on, & asking him for his opinion on that
is
point & whether it was [struck-through] ^ necessary for Walker to remain any longer in the country.
Mr. Ludlow called at the office, & at my re= =quest he wrote out his “infallible recipe” for Ague & Fem, which I now enclose to you, in order that you may send it to Tobin, tho’ it cannot reach him, of course, in time to be of any service in the present [underscored] year.
In reply to my enquiring, Mr. Ludlow told me that it is his intention to set out for S[ain]t Louis [Missouri] on the 28 or 29th inst[ant]. [28 or 29 September] And I named this in my letter to Harriet. – William told me that he intends going with them, & that it is likely that Maria Gregory will be one of the party. –
Yesterday was a dark dismal, cold, rainy day. – It rained steadily but lightly from
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11 a.m. until 6 p.m.; - but having ridden down town, I made a point of walking up to dinner, & had the benefit of William’s company. He carried the basket filled with Peaches, & I had 5 big ones in my amiable pockets. –
I had ordered, specially for David’s [Spence] sake, a beef steak, broiled “au natural,” tho’ I would for myself have preferred it stewed until so tender as to require very little mastication; but there was another dish that suited my want of grinders equally well; & I was pleased to see that he enjoyed the steak. –
I had a 2 hours nap after dinner; so it was late when we had T[ea]. Despite of the hour, I turned out at 10, & took a 3 mile’s walk. – And I employed the rest of the time until I went to bed in writing 4 pages to Walker in answer to his letter of 17th. The chief part of what I wrote might be called a continuation of my letter of Sunday last.
I told him also of W[illia]ms intention to leave on 28 or 29, & of my letter to D[octo]r Pearson, & wod [struck-through] wound up by saying that, in default of anything to the contrary from D[octo]r P[earson], I ex= =pected him & Sarah to return home on or before Saturday, the 26th.
I am impelled to this mostly for Sarah’s sake, as she usually suffers in health by these long visits to Miss Dunning: - but of course I did not say so to Walker.
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It was pretty late – indeed very [underscored] late – when I went to bed: for before writing my elaborate letter to Walker, I had written a little note to put inside of Mrs. Cox’s open letter to Miss Jane Steers, - & I also made a copy of James’ letter of 11th Sept[ember] to Duncan Sherman & Co[mpany].
It Devolved on me to wake both David & W[illia]m this morn[in]g at 1/4 to 8, & we were at break=
fast, which included two slices of the un
=paleatable Tongue, & some of the contents of a fresh jar of Plumbago of [18]’62; & he seemed to relish both. – He did not go out of doors today, because it was so cold. – W[illia]m went to Trinity Church. – At S[ain]t Tho[ma]s [church] we had neither the D[octor] [Morgan] nor his assistant, but a stranger, of such gigantic proportion as at once to re=
mind me of Gog & Magog. – I could not fol
=low him in the service, but he preached
a
in ^ loud tone. Contrary to expectation I did not [underscored] sleep during the sermon. – In crossing 4th St[reet], on my return home, I exchan =ged a greeting with Mr. [Barnewall?], & took occasion to ask him if he had heard any thing more about S[ain]t Tho[ma]s since the inter- =change of notes between D[octo]r M[organ] & himself in May last. He said he had not; & we agreed that “no news was good news.” When I was at the office yesterday afternoon the Green
quite
=wood [Green-wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, NY] vault-builder called ^ [gu..?][struck-through] opportunity He told me that our vault there is now quite completed, except being covered in. And I
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told him not to cover it in until Matthew had inspected the work; & said that M[atthew] intended doing this on Monday, & would prob =ably be there between 1 & 2 p.m. He said that his foreman, who now at work building a vault on a lot close by ours, would be instruct =ed to be in attendance on Matthew to shew & explain all to him. –
When I returned from church I stopped but a few moments in the house, & telling Mary of my intention & to have dinner ready by 1 1/2 p.m., I turned out & took a 3 miles walk, or near it, in order to put my blood in motion – the Therm[omete]r max[imu]m today being but 58 1/2 [degrees]. – After I got back I read the letter of 16th inst[ant] [16 September] from Harriet, which W[illia]m had bro[ugh]t me, & which I now enclose.
My companions seems to enjoy their din =ner quite as much as I did. – David ate 2 small slices of roast beef & some mealy po= =tatoes, 1 large Peach, & 1/2 of anther ditto; & he took 1 glass of Sherry & 1/2 a glass of Port.
At T[ea] this even[in]g I had 2 rounds of a 6 penny loaf made into dry toast for him, & he consumed both of them entirely, seasoned with butter & plumbago, & washed down with 2 large cups of T[ea]
He complains of the cold weather today; but is otherwise, in my opinion, well. [underscored] He has been lying on the sofa nearly all day, wrapped up with great coat & a travelling shawl: & if I had kept the house I should probably have adopt =ed a similar course.
After dinner I read some little of your little
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(5)
volume of extracts from D[octo]r Arnold’s Sermons, -& then fell asleep; but waking up a little before 4, I turned out at 5 minutes past 4, & was walking fast from that time until 6.35. I reached 80th [underscored] St[reet] on 5th Ave[nue] at 1/2 past 5, & then came back. I call this about 8 miles. [‘8 miles’ underscored] I pur =sued Broadway to 23rd St[reet] going out, but on returning held on to 5th Ave[nue] as far as 10th St[reet] thus making the distance decidedly longer in returning than going out: nevertheless, get= =ting more supple & elastic in my movements as I grew warmer, the walk home occupied little more than 2/3rds of the time that the walk out did – in other words the homeward walk was a the high speed (distance consider= =ed) by fully 50 per cent. – I have thus had 11 miles [’11 miles’ underscored] walking today, which is evidence enough of my bodily condition. – Some time after T[ea], as I was in L position & repeating the perusal of Dr. Arnold’s extracts, Mr. Van Ness came in & sat some time with me, during which I contrived to pour 2 glasses of No. 1 Sherry into him & 1 glass into my own person. – His Sister is with Mrs. Barton.
Two days ago I fell in with Mr. Gardner, & had a few moments talk with him, when he told me that Mr. Pickersgill & all his family are to em= =bark in Wed[nesday] next via [steamer] Scotia, & that he himself is to be here & superintend in Mr. P[inkersgill]’s absence.
It is now 12 o’clock, David went to bed when Mr. V[an] Ness was talking with me, & W[illia]m did so at 1/4 to 10, & now I am going to do the same, as soon as I have gone the rounds, & read these 5 pages
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The new 60¢ bathing sponge is a perfect beauty -not harsh – on the contrary very soft, & it operates beautifully & accelerates my perform -ances in the bathing tub.
At dinner I devoted 2 fine Peaches to the Miss Nugents. – What would cousin K have said to such practical democracy. N[ota] B[ene]. Mind you call & see Mrs. W. Carson at Seacombe [England] before you leave L[iver]pool [England]. I am sure you will like her, & that the visit would be gratifying both to her & her husband. –
I wish you would also call on Mrs. Edward Heath: for she can’t leave her husband, so as call on you first [underscored], in accordance with etiquette.
Monday night – 21 Sept[ember] – We have had a very fine day & a change of wind from N[orth] to W[est] & W[est] S[outh] W[est]; - so the maximum Temperature exceeds that of yesterday by 8 1/2 [degrees] – I walked both down & up, also 2 miles since T[ea], making 6 miles altogether. – David took a pretty fair breakfast, for him, & then walked down town with William, taking my favorite [C..way?] walking stick as a support. He felt tired with so long a walk, & had better have taken 1 mile at a time instead of the twain at once. He rode home, & performed fairly at dinner upon cold roast beef mashed potatoes & a peach, & a glass of Port wine. He took a small piece of toast at T[ea], & retired to his room at 1/2 past 9. I hope & expect he will be OK[ay] tomorrow,
Matthew went out to Greenwood
[Marginalia – right side]
Sept[ember] Min Max 15 65 1/2 75 16 67 78 17 71 78 1/2 18 73 76 19 61 64 20 55 58 1/2 21 51 1/2 67 22 54
Mortality week end[in]g Sept[ember] 12 487
19 467 5 & under 253 chol[era] inft 51 diarrhea 25 dysentery 14 dip[h]theritic 10 scarlet 7
20 Sept[ember] 1862 Total - 428
[Marginalia – left side]
I again after dinner today laid on my plate 2 peaches for the Miss Nugents
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leaving about 1/2 past 12 or 1/4 to 1, & getting back at 1/4 to 3. – The foreman of the vault builder was at hand to show him all; & he found the interior of the Vault all completed, & ready to covered over with flag stones, & to be sodded over them: - & this covering will be done at once. \\ - He said Elizabeth has somewhat of a cold, & so had not been down to breakfast for 2 mornings. But she says nothing of this in the following note that M[atthew] bought to me today: “Dear Rutson, We thank you for the letters” \ the 2 last ones from you \ “& for the Peaches which are truly very fine. We have had it so cold here, that Miss Duncan has given us a fire in the parlour. – Miss [Hosack}, & Mr. Pendle =ton [Hosack?] came on Thursday. They have just arrived to benefit by the Equinoctial storm. – I think Ann will remain until 7th Nov[ember]; as each of your letters well shew her that Walker has recovered so well & rapidly. – We miss Mrs. & Mr. Curtis very much indeed. Our house fills up again as fast as there is a vacancy. Miss Norris of Phila[delphia] [Pennsylvania] wanted to get in here, but could not. Our rooms are bespoken as soon as we have them. With love from all of us your affection =ate – E[lizabeth] Maury.” \\ I know not when they are to return to Irving Place, but suppose it will be some time next week, according to the weather.
On Saturday, on my way to dinner, I bought a supply cheap foolscap writing paper; as there was more suitable for covering the post of the two batches of “Plumbago;” & on coming home to dinner I saw that they had all been covered accordingly, in a proper ship-shape fashion,
en
-fast ed by paste [underscored] instead of string [underscored]. – I suppose it will devolve on me to inscribe “Plums ’63.” on each pot [underscored] as soon as I have time to do it, & to stow them away in the closet – Too many of my employments are akin to those of the late
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Mr. Lightbody, when [buying?] Hay & making Toast for all the family, & buttering it too. –
In consequence of the news yesterday of an M contrived attack against the Confederates at
& desperate
Sabine River; [Texas/Louisiana] & of a regular ^ battle in N[orth] W[est] Geor
according to [Union General William S.] Rosecrans
gia on Saturday, which ^ has been a [drawn?] battle so far, (but may be attended with more de= =cided result to our side or the other when renew =ed yesterday, as expected) – Gold which closed at 135 on Saturday, opened this morning at 139 – 139 1/2;& at one time touched 140. –
It was well, therefore, that we secured the Sterling on Friday at 146 3/4 to cover the proceeds of the 100 bales Cotton of Hodgson Mather & Co[mpany], as the rate today had been 154 – 155; & I wish we had at the same time secured Exc[hange]: for some $2300 or $2400 that we have to remit Mr. Clunas for his 2 Reading R[ail] R[oad] bonds sold in Phila[dephia] at 117 [0/0?], but not yet paid to us. - \ Of course it would have been well if Matthew had not set at naught my counsel as to drawing for £4,000: but I know that he acted for the best; & tho’ I don’t like to be treated as a Clerk only [‘clerk only’ underscored] when I am a Partner [underscored], I do not initiate “the old crow” [‘the old crow’ underscored] (“I told you so.”) [‘I ...so’ underscored]
There were no letters today from any quarter, & there is no news about Fontaine. – N[ota] B[ene]. I have just marked the Plums & stowed them away in the closet; so that is one eyesore out of the way. And I have been the rounds & am now going to bed!
5 Hanover St[reet] [New York, NY] 5 3/4 p.m.22nd – I have your letter via [steamer] Etna with the very very sad [‘very very sad] underscored p[ost] s[cript] of 8 Sept[ember] from L[iver]pool, announcing the sudden death of Tom Addison 48 hours after his son in Law! – I feel deeply for for all who are involved in this severe affliction. Y[ou]rs in haste R[utson] Maury
