You must be enjoying yourself now

I was awake this morning when the stage went down and I happened to think that just four weeks had elapsed since you and darling [Johnny] left. It seems like a long time to me, but I suppose you can hardly persuade yourself that so much time has flown. You must be enjoying yourself now about as well as you like and will be sorry to have the time come around for you to bid many & kind friends adieu.

Mr. Stevenson returned last night from Leavenworth. Got 70 cents a bushel for corn and bought some pine flooring already planed, tongued & grooved for $3.00 per hundred for himself. So I think I will try and meet you in Leavenworth when you come and bring some up or send for some. You will not forget those currant, gooseberry, & blackberry cuttings – better have some roots on them, pack them in a small box with sawdust at the roots which can be kept moist. They need not be over 6 or 8 inches long. Don’t forget the plain cherry, peach, & ______ seeds. Keep moist.

You better arrange some weeks before hand the day you will start [on your return trip]. Let me know how much money you want me to send. If you come by railroad all the way, by starting early Monday you can get to Leavenworth sometime Thursday, I should think, so as to get home the same week. Nancy[1], I believe, got here [on] Friday [when she came by that route]. I shall want to know some time before hand so as to let you know what the arrangements will be. I saw Mrs. Whiting when at town last week. She is going east soon and may go by your [parent’s] house as she thinks she may have company that way. If she may stop over & visit a day or two, I told her you would be glad to see somebody from these parts and would be glad to have her. Says she would let me know long enough before hand so that I could write and tell you. She thinks of spending the winter in Maine & in the spring. Charlie is going for her.

The people are all fixing for the camp meeting, which commences Friday. I shall probably come home nights. I have an appointment on my work Sunday so that I shall not attend it all through. My love to all. Ever your affectionate husband, -- James

Your letter of August 18th came Friday and I was so glad to hear you keep well. I do hope you will get along better now in the cooking line. We are all as well as usual here and [our son] John is just as busy as ever in mischief. [My sister] Sarah has stone pots with plants in that she keeps in the house in winter & now are out of doors. John has smashed one & the plant in it was spoiled before we knew it. And after that, he partially broke another, but Sarah put the moss back in it & it was doing well. Today she was reading & he came & pulled her dress & wanted she should go with him & “see.” He led her to where he had broken the pot into pieces & scattered its contents.

This afternoon he came to me & pulled me to go with him saying, “boke.” I followed & he led me to a nest & showed me an egg he had mashed. [Brother] Steve’s dog has a nice square pen, high enough for John to stand up in, but has only a small hole for a door. John will get into it with a whip and get hold of the chain, which fastens the dog nights, and then drives his horses. If we go near, he says, “ide, ide.” He learns to talk some.

Yesterday afternoon Ma & I went up to Aunt Ruth’s. Uncle Aner [Goodrich] was as full of his nonsense as ever. Jack & John have not changed at all – only look a little older. Ephraim has a felon on one of his fingers. I intended to go up on the hill Friday, but concluded not to go until the first of the week so that I could stay longer, & besides, Mary Griffing will be home this week sometime as her school will be out Tuesday or Wednesday. There was another picnic in Mr. Catlin’s grove yesterday. We were all invited but did not wish to attend as it had to end in a dance. Mary & Steve went. Aunt Mary & Mrs. D. Taylor & all on the front road were there, besides a number from Pipe Creek – nearly all dancing characters. [Your brother] Samuel & [his wife] Malvina did not go. I expected they would else I should have gone up [to visit them on Catlin Hill last] Friday.

[Rev.] Mr. Peck is liked very well. [He is] not as smart a man as [Rev.] Mr. Pierce they think. Ma & I intended going to Mr. Pierce’s this past week but could not be taken so have put it off. Lucy Fiddis has returned. She, Anna, James, George Stratton, & Mrs. Austin came home with [brother] Ralph last night & spent the evening – George staying all night. Lucy has been to the southern part of Kentucky to visit with the Merewether’s & visited Mammoth Cave & had a fine time. She is a great talker.

I am glad to hear Mr. [Charles] Bowen is better. Hope he is well by this time & his wife not worn out either. Has [my brother] Jim heard anything more about his claim? He has not yet written. How does Mr. Matthews trial come on? I do hope he will be proved innocent. I am glad [our dog] Dan is such a faithful companion. How do you manage about the cow & pigs when you are gone? [Ever yours -- Augusta]

I wonder just what you are doing today and if you feel at all lonely in your deserted mansion, if you have become accustomed to its solitude, and begun to like right well to live alone? For if you have, I have a proposition to make you that I fear will not be exactly in accordance with your wishes. Now do not give that peculiar smile and say ‘humph’ for it is nothing more nor less than to ask you if you will let Cuttie and Johnny spend the winter with us. You see I am like the little blood-sucker, always asking for more and never satisfied; but I think if they might spend the winter here I should at least be more satisfied than to have them return this fall. But I think of your loneliness and will not urge it [too strongly] though we should be so glad to have them. Johnny has become quite domesticated here. Calls his grandfather “Pa” and always calls him to breakfast with an, “Oh! Pa” – accent on the first word or letter, which sounds so funny coming from his mouth. We think him a real good boy, but mischievous enough in all conscience. He talks quite plainly and speaks all of our names very well. He will say, “Pease Pa” yet when told to say please. He seems to love us almost as well as we love him and we shall miss him so much, and his mother too. But I will not even think of it now, but put off all of the hard feeling until the dreaded time. I cannot believe it has been nearly six weeks since she came for time never passed so quickly before.

[Augusta], of course, told you of our visit to Newfield and all about the friends there. How she staid with Nancy [Stratton] one day and had a real good visit while Lucy & Edwin Stratton, Ralph, & I went over to Enfield Falls. From there [we went] to Ithaca and up to the falls there and through the tunnel. It was almost dark when we went through the tunnel and we found it a right gloomy place. It looked but a temporary bridge – not particularly safe at that, and the water rushing beneath sloshing against the rocks, heard though unseen, gave it a charm spiced with a little terror for me, which I shall always remember when thinking of the place. But the falls and the scenery about them were fine. The grand old rocks covered with moss in places, in others smooth and perpendicular and reaching so far above the little specimens of humanity who go to view its wonder that one feels so small and has other very curious feelings.

Ithaca Falls, near Ithaca, New York
New York Public Library, Stereoscopic View of the Robert Dennis Collection

Augusta expects to go up [the hill] to your mother’s tomorrow to stay several days. She and Mary have been over to the [Owego] Village since school was out and left John with Ma. John saw her go out and cried some but soon got over it and was laughing and as happy as ever in a few minutes and was good all the while. He went to sleep saying, “Ma Ma gone.”

So you do not care to have us remodel over your wife? Why we are not – only some of her dresses that appeared quite antiquated at first. And you would not, I know, like to have her looked at as a natural curiosity just arrived from Kansas. She is just the same Sister Cutie that she always was and, I trust, always will be. And when you come to see us, you need not be particular to change the cut of your vest for we think a vest buttoned up in front the best of all. I wish you were here to help us gather nuts this fall. There are plenty this season. We think the prairie chicken very handsome but have not got a case for it yet. [My brother] James has not sent his likeness yet nor written in a long while. If he does not write soon, we shall have to write to him. I hope you will get along well and not be very lonely. Your neighbors are my kind, I think. Write soon. All send love. Good night and believe me your affectionate sister, -- Sarah [Goodrich]

I received yours and Sister Seddie’s letter this morning just before starting [on my appointment], and as I have a few moments leisure this afternoon, I have concluded to improve them in writing. Am sorry I have not your letters here to answer some of your questions. Yet the proposition Sister Seddie sent to comfort me in my loneliness I remember. – I.e. to have you remain there [in Owego] this winter. I have concluded to give my consent on one condition. – I.e. if she (Sarah) & Johnny will come & keep house for me this winter. I was in hopes to hear how much filthy lucre you had and wanted to get home again. I received a letter from [my brother] Ossy yesterday saying it cost $36.00 for a ticket from Owego to St. Jo[seph, Missouri]. I want you to have plenty to bring you away through to Tecumseh should we not happen to meet [up] in Leavenworth, which I think will be somewhat difficult & some doubtful. Be sure & take the stage that crosses the river at Lawrence so as to come up from there on the south side of the river. Otherwise, they will bring you around through Indianola & land you in Topeka. Better pay to Tecumseh. They will bring you on to the house.

I have come down to attend my Quarterly Meeting but I hear that Brother James is under the Doctor’s care & it will be very doubtful about his coming. I came down Friday as the teacher of the school wanted me to address the scholars & patrons of his school on the subject of education. But upon coming, I find the teacher is sick & no examination to go off.

[My brother] Ossy wrote me a good long letter [from Table Rock, Nebraska]. Says he is coming down to visit us this fall. Says it is very sickly there. About a dozen have died there this summer. Says Mr. Giddings has been very sick and little Maty[2] has the whooping cough & ague. Says he is healthy & liked it much, but has not positively concluded to settle there. Said he took an eighty [acre farm] joining the town site but owing to a defect in the warrant, he did not preempt it before the sales so I infer that he has no land of his own there yet.[3] He has worked for Mr. Giddings. Says he has had that sick headache but once, and has worked hard outdoors a great deal. Says they are having good meetings there; are to have a camp meeting soon, and wants me to come up. The [Giddings] girls continue faithful and it is a great comfort to their parents.

I have commenced ploughing for my wheat and want to finish sowing next week. Mr. Fitzpatrick is putting in part of my stubble & will put some in the corn. Achilles Jordan has returned from the [Pike’s] Peak. I saw him today & about six dollars worth of the [gold] dust. He came back with Brother [William H.] Goode.[4] Says the mines are paying pretty well. Some are getting rich fast there. Thinks there will be large emigration there in the spring. Brother Goode sent his ______ ______ ______ ________ intends to stay there this winter. He is claiming about $20.00 per day. Has built him quite a comfortable home in Denver City and keeps boarders & a bakery.

Mr. E. B. Griffing is stopping with me yet as company & is very good to care for things in my absence.

Saw [your brother] James Goodrich at Topeka. [He is] still working for Leslie & settled. Says he has now two cows & calves & a new double wagon. Says he is going to build him a small house in Topeka 12 by 16 to live in this winter. Says he has not sent his likeness yet. I asked him why. Says cause. I told him you would he should very much. He has heard nothing from or about his claim and thinks nothing will be done. John Southers was ________ against him. – James

I have just come home after an absence of three days to attend my Quarterly Meeting. We had a basket meeting – everyone bringing a basket of provisions and spreading them out upon two long boards in the schoolhouse after the first meeting and then all partaking just as much as they wished. All seemed pleased and I suppose it passed off something like the picnic in that “civilized & refined” country, only it did not wind up with a dance. We had a first-rate meeting. Two joined the church as seekers of religion. The house was crowded. Brother & Sister Dennis were both up.

I have not received a letter from you saying how much money you want or how much you have on hand. I have concluded to send in [letter] twenty dollars in hopes you can manage to make it answer. I think you can, by borrowing a little of Pa’s money, for which I will pay him good interest and try and return it when he says the word. You ought not to start back with less than fifty dollars. If you want more, please let me know directly and it shall be forthcoming.

Things continue about as usual. I called at Brother Bowen’s last week. He is teaching again & in quite good health again, only he looks thin. Jennie Penfield, who’s calculating to act as his assistant, is quite poorly.

I received a letter from Mother Markham last week saying she had recovered. She is building quite a comfortable brick house. Says she felt happy in her sickness having an entire resignation, and gloriously bright prospectation. She says, “Give my love to Mrs. G when you write.”

The cows are out with the calves. Mrs. Curtis’ children are well again. I want to sow my wheat the coming week if possible. I hope to hear in my next when you think of starting home. The time does seem long but I try to be just as patient as I can. I ought to be when I know you are enjoying yourself so well. I shall begin to feel anxious about you now until you are safe home again. And my Johnny darling – will he know me? I hope he will continue a good boy and leave so good an impression that they will want to see him again one of these days should his life be spared. I am glad you are going to make [my] Mother and [brother] Sammy a good visit before you come away. I thank Sister Seddie as well as mother kindly for their letters until they are better paid. If you have determined upon the time when you may be at home, I wish you would write to [my brother] Ossy & urge him to be sure & come down and bring a load to see us soon after your return. Please write just as soon as you get this and let me know of its safe arrival. My love to all. Ever your own dear husband, -- James

[1] Referring to Nancy [Orcutt] Griffing, who had remarried Israel Greene by the time of this letter.

[2] “Maty” is Mary Elizabeth Giddings, Charles and Clarissa Giddings’s youngest daughter.

[3] Deed?

[4] After the death of his wife, Rev. William H. Goode took an assignment to Colorado Territory.