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| Crystal Palace surpassed our anticipations
These letters were sent to Augusta Goodrich from her friend Sarah Maria
Wright and her cousin Lucy, both Hartford, Connecticut residents in 1854. They
provide a glimpse into Hartford society during the winter of 1853-1854. Hartford
[Connecticut] My dear Augusta, Many, many times I have had your letter in mind & often said to myself now I must write this & that to Augusta. I have not written but four letters in as many months, which all required a preface of apology, even as this. I hope to do better in the future. Our city never was more crowded with lectures & concerts as during this season. The Historical Society have a monthly lecture which concludes with refreshments – hot oysters & hot coffee. The first was served at the house of Mr. Thomas Day, where they adjourned & the second in the rooms of the Society & that dark old room with its old & aged relics looked quite astonished at the bright lights & gay faces of the company & the black faces & white aprons of the waiters.
The Institute, & Arts Union, have thus given lectures of a high order & large audiences have a note attended. The Germanians have given five concerts & Jullum two. We have attended nearly all of the above & enjoyed very much. The Old Folk concert has been a prolific subject of conversation & my pleasure arose more from observing the audience than listening to the music. The pulpit (at the Pearl St. Church) was filled with Divines & one half were Episcopal & all had a very social time together… Our usual religious services have all been continued, so you well know how many spare evenings we enjoy. Dr. [Joel] Hawes gave 75 bibles to those who committed the catechism. Two of my closest & your correspondent were of the number. Last Sunday the same time Etta & Lilly gave me a note with their daguerreotypes on one plate. You know how I must have felt… I have attended only one of the “young people’s union prayer meetings” being monthly & it was a foretaste of the Heavenly union. Alfred Beach said that previous one’s had been even better. Mr. Beadlee is delivering a course of lectures to young men that have been exceedingly attractive & profitable. He is to give one to young ladies before the season closes to resume them at another time. Rev. Dr. [William W.] Patton has also delivered a course on the History of the Jews that have been highly applauded. How responsible all we for the improvement of such privileges?
Mother & I spent Thanksgiving week in New York with cousins & we being free from care, enjoyed it very much. The Crystal Palace [1] surpassed our anticipations in the building alone. How could we help thinking of the Heavenly Palace & ask if the same would walk beneath that glorious light, & in the golden streets. All desire to see it again even if visited many times. Henry has not been down yet & I hope to accompany him when he does. All our churches observed Christmas day & there was a good apprehension of the occasion. I never enjoyed that day & the previous & succeeding. New Year’s eve (or Monday eve) Dr. [Joel] Hawes met the Sunday School Teachers at his house & as he gave no indication what form it would assume, we were surprised by a very social interview with music & refreshments even better than similar ones of your remembrance. We have all been sympathizing with Mr. Howe in attending the funeral services of his wife in the church & with the children very ill at home with the same disease – scarlet fever. They (Mr. H. and sisters) have requested prayers several times & the children are yet afraid & their hearts we hope will be sanctified by these providences. Mrs. Wells became very much interested in Mrs. H. after Charles’ death & like an angel of mercy she ministered to her spiritual wants. Mrs. H. had for weeks been a teacher in the Mission Sunday School. Little Francis Howe is one of Fanny Webb’s scholars. Miss Webb asked me to give you much of her love a long time ago & a second time she added the fact of her going to her room more than twenty times to write to you & that the next half hour she can secure she intends to do so. Miss Morgan has been very ill all winter & is now only convalescing – fever & pleurisy. Fevers have been very prevalent but few fatal in our city. Influenzas have been very abundant & faithful adherents to customers. Fanny Fenn, Major Miller & Mrs. Redfield all inquired of me for you & sent their love & expressed their continued appreciation of the same individual. Carrie Miller has been here but a short time but could not specify. Mr. Child’s health is now very good. A neighbor has just stepped in & says, “You should never write across a letter as you are now doing – present postage are so cheap.” I do not happen to fear your ability to read it even though I should have used another sheet, had I possessed one. I remember your kindness in excusing me from intentional blame. Do you see any Hartford [Connecticut] papers? Yours as ever & in hope forever above, -- Sarah M. Wright
Hartford
[Connecticut] My dear cousin [Augusta], I received your letter a long time ago and have neglected to answer it but not because I do not think of you. [We are glad to] see you are all well. We see in the paper that there had been quite a fire in Owego and that Dr. Eastman’s house had been burned. Is it so? Cousin Maria Hollister has been up to see us a few days. She went home this noon. Her father came up after her. It snowed here night before last pretty deep and it is very good sleighing now so she went home in a sleigh. She said she wrote to you of cousin Sarah’s death. Ma went down to the funeral. Uncle was gone to New York [City] at the time. Ma went down to see her about a week before she died. This noon when I came to school I went down and called for Helen Dodd. She said she was not coming to school because she was going to the Fireman’s Ball this evening. And who do you think she was going with? With Mr. Edward Mann who lives down there by Henry Tryon’s on the corner of Park & Hudson streets. I hope she will have a good time. It is the first one she ever went to. Thursday morning. I commenced this letter yesterday but did not have time to finish it. Last night Ma received a letter from you. She does not have much time to write. You wondered why some of us did not write. Nina (?) and myself go to school all the time and therefore do not have time to do much else but study. Does [your sister] Mary go to the [Owego] Academy now? How is Jamie and does he go to school? And are you all well? I received a letter from Allen a few weeks ago but have not answered it yet. It is very cold out today and it snowed more last night. Tell Mary I will answer her letter in a little while and give my love to all. I saw Mrs. Stanly a few days ago. She asked how you were & said she supposed you would not come back here until you brought your “bean” with you. I told her I did not know how that would be. The south church has been undergoing repair for sometime and was open last Sunday evening for the first time. It looked very pretty but the gas was very dim. We were sorry to here that first Mary Chin was no better than when you wrote last. Is Cynthia Tarkham teaching school now? Give my love to her and all your family. Mr. Gallop’s people are all quite well. Alice Miller had a party a week or two ago. I was invited but was engaged elsewhere and therefore did not go. Nina (?) went and said they had a very pleasant time. The bell has struck and therefore I cannot write anymore at present. Yours affectionately, Lucy Write soon. |
