CLARA BARTON
GENERAL CORRESPONDANCE

Atwater, Dorance
Nov. 1869- Jan. 1890

See Also
Subject File
Civil War
Atwater, DorenceTo the American Consul at Messina Italy,
Although not personally acquainted with
you. I take the liberty, as a brother Consul, to introduce
to you Miss Clara Barton who did so much for our sick,
wounded, and dying soldiers during the late war, and is now
suffering from ill health in consequence. Miss Barton
wishes to leave Messina, per "Messageries Imperiales" for
these Islands. and any assistance which you may render
to. will be most thankfully received by. her. and reciprocated
at the first opportunity by
Very truly Yours
Dorence Atwater
Consulate U.S. at
Seychelles I.O.
22 November 1869


[*Dorence Atwater]
DrKy.  S. F. 1st. Nov 78
By arrived here 22d and has been ill ever since owing to so many 
changes in coming from N.Y. at Chicago cold winds, from there to Rock
Island cold rains. Omaha ice. futher this way snow and
from Sacramento here sultry hot, with half a dozen changes
per day here. So that By's old fever and ague broke out pretty hard
To day. By feels best since his arrival, was up early this
morning and saw a vessel off for Tahiti. She was too small
for By to stick himself aboard for 30 to 35 days. Another
vessel is engaged to go and By has engaged his passage
and will get away by Wednesday next at the
fartherest, How tired and anxious he is to get
away. a vessel is long over due from Tahiti. She
should have moetia's last letters on board,
By hope she will arrive before he leaves,
By has made new arrangements for
diving, which suit him far better than
his French agreement. By will incur
no risk, no expense and if it is at all
sucessful should pay very well. If
By could only have made the same bargain
when here in June it would have saved
him at least 12,000 - but everything seems to
have gone by [?centraries] on this tripstill the experience may, in the end, be
worth more, How stupid By and Ky were. The regular
train left for Dansville at 10:00 and By's at 10.15 and
Ky went off on a lumbering freight train, when, if he had
inquired, they might have had two more hours together.
Well By hasn't anything more to say except By Ky By -


3
[*Dor Atwater*]
Several times and to several places
have I written you but no reply,
A Dansville paper of Feb'y
last says you have gone to
Washington for a few days,
From that I take it that you
are permanently settled at D -
where I shall send this in 
search of you,
Nothing unusual has happened
to us since you last heard from
me. You must know that Tahiti
has been annexed to France.
which produced no serious changes
here, as it has virtually been
a French possession ever since
their advent upon the island.
The King [has] personally has twelve
thousand dollars per year for his
price of sale. The remainder of the royalfamily receive very small pensions.
The means employed to bring about
the sale equalled the transactions of the
Indian Ring, The King is not at all
well, but for an anticipated and more than
welcome exit his is a long time in taking
place.
Since our return from Scilly and 
pearl fishing I have done nothing and
if it had not been for the Queen's child
"Boots", I don't know what I should have
done to kill time, "Boots" is over two years
old and growing very fast. She is with us most
of the time and gives me a great deal of
pleasure. Perhaps it may be only imagination
on my part, but I think, if she has
half a chance, that she will turn out a 
smart girl. Last night when I carried her home
I said to her "Boots", where is the moon? after looking
all around she said "no moon tonight, Papa", 
At this moment, she is perched upon the desk
with pencil and paper and says she is drawing
babies and fowls.
People here have been complaining
of the heat during our summer. In the
back part of the town the thermometer
has been as high as 96°, but never higher
than 90° at the Consulate, the latter is so 
situated that it catches the slightest breeze
there may be from the sea. 


Moetia has, with the exception of an
occasional headache, been very well.
Her beautiful hair continues to fall out
in such quantities that she will soon
be bald headed. She often asks if she
is ever to see the states and I tell her
yes. but keep putting off the starting,
She weighs 195 pounds and is increasing
Last year I suffered a
great deal from asthma. this year, so far,
hardly at all. In January had a bad
attack which the Doctor said would most
likely end with pleurisy, but did not, for
the last six weeks rheumatism has been
playing up and down my left arm and
right leg, however if I never have it any
worse I shall not mind so much. Fevers
are less and less frequent and very likely
would cease altogether with a bracing
climate and proper foods, the latter here
is something terrible to even a strong
stomach. I wish one could have the same
diet here as at "Our Home" but we have not
the materials and if we had no one to cook
or prepare them, I have just been
reading "The Laws of Life" etc for February 81,
Don't know who sent it but wish whoever
it was would continue sending.
Tahiti seems to grow duller day by day.
and it appears unusually so at present
as the rainy season, which ought tohave been over two months ago, is
in full blast.
Perhaps this will reach Ky and
she will write By and tell him about
herself and what she has been doing
the past two years, and if she is well
or sick. this should reach Dansville
about the same time, 2d July.
that By did, How the time passes, three
years ago. 
It is now dinner time, 5.00, and "Boots"
is saying "home, papa, to brefust", so
By says good bye to Ky.
May 14 1881.


[*atwater*]
Tahiti. Nov 15 1887.
Dear Ky
Before this reaches
you you will have known of
my resignation. and although
very bad here I dare not go to
Frisco just now. so I have written
Moetia to return and then we will
leave here to arrive there in April.
We have no plans for the future, only
to get away from here.
Jim Terry was in 
Frisco and they saw a great deal
of him. and he took quite a 
fancy to "Boots."I hope you received the
group photograph which
Moetia sent you.
I don't think I have heard
from you since my last return
here and I don't know if this will
find you in Washington.
Our address in Frisco is care
of London, Paris and American
Bank. With love By.


PALACE HOTEL
C. H. LIVINGSTON,
Manager
San Francisco, 22d Apr 1888
Dear Ky,
By arrived here late last
evening too late to come ashore, after
a voyage of 37 days. Moetia and
Boots came back to Tahiti six
weeks before By left. Did Ky
receive the pho' that Moetia sent?
By has been ill ever since he returned
to Tahiti and was obliged to
have a change. he is much better
for the trip. He does not know if
he returns the first of May or June,
and then only to arrange affairs
so as to be able to leave there as
soon as possible.
By is completely at
sea as to whereabout of Ky, but
will send this to the Capitol - 
By's address here
is care of Lazard Frères,
By Ky By


[*Dorrence Atwater to C. B.*]
OCCIDENTAL HOTEL
MONTGOMERY
STREET.
SAN FRANCISCO
CAL.
Wm B. HOOPER, MANAGER.

San Francisco, Apr 30 1888,
Dear Ky.
By found Ky's letter
of Xmas the day after he wrote to
her to the old address (947 T St)
How sorry By is to know of her illness
and hopes she may recover soon. By
is so much better - has gained 16 lbs
since leaving home) that he returns tomorrow,
and hopes to return here in a 
few months with Moetia & Boots,
Kate Field is stopping
here By saw her yesterday. she said
she was sorry to hear of Ky's illness
and wished to be remembered. By is
going to give a card of introduction
to a Major Slack who lives in
Washington & who has seen By here.
He doesn't know much of By butstill we have met, By dreads
the sea voyage, but it seems to do
him good. Ky can write
direct to Tahiti.
Bye Ky By.


Tahiti. Oct 15 '88
Dear Ky.
By put off answering Ky's letter
of May 8th as he thought it just possible
to surprise her in person before this, but
there seems to be something in reserve for
us to meet every emergency. By's last
trip to Frisco did him ever so much good.
and its effects lasted for a month after his
return. then an epidemic of colds. fevers
gripes etc. etc. passed over the islands
sparing no one and from which By has not
yet recovered. Moetia had a pretty good
siege but she is all right now, However illness
is not the worst of our troubles. the title to some
of our property was attacked unsuccessfully
or half of our income would have been swept
away, and now we are warned of an attack
in another direction. which is also serving
for us. It is simply a case of steal and we must
wait and defend ourselves. Moetia says it willit will comes out right. but Ky knows what a 
doubting Thomas By is. besides the time
lost. "Boots" has become an inmate of the
Convent school - and, most likely. we shall
have no more to do with her. She has inherited
all of her mother's traits of character
(not a single good one) and they are
developing pretty fast. and By does not care
to shoulder the responsibilities, We made a
senior mistake in not taking her over
altogether years ago. but now it is too late. By 
is sorry as she helped to make several of
his years pleasant. and with some attention
would make a good woman, Moetia's family
are a caution and we are both anxious to give
them a clear road. It is only yesterday that
Moetia remarked "I suppose we might as 
well give up the idea of seeing Washington
next winter." She urges By to go away alone
and let her fight out the lawsuit. but By [?i?y]
wait and both go together. By had
a letter from Jim last mail. he and Moira
were in Vermont, and well. By's successor
is not liked very well. besides being a 
democrat he is English on feelings. By
hopes for Harrison, although it looks


as if the party in power has the
most show of keeping the spoils.
By has never voted, it is time for
him to begin, or else he may have to
shoulder a musket again in order
to allow others to vote. His next
fighting will be "a la Cleveland" (substitute).
Since starting this letter a 
vessel has come in from and returning
to Sandwich Islands. and we are trying
hard to get away by her, but
it remains to be seen if we are
successful. Moetia sends love and
By too.San Francisco
4 Jany 90

Ky's letter of 26 ulto came
yesterday. Both of us are
still here. I got Moetia to
agree to let me go in her place
and then at last moment I 
couldn't go - other peoples
business keeping me back,
With a very few day exception
it has rained continuously ever
since our arrival. Greatest amount
of rain fall known here.
Glad Ky has the horses and carriage
hope she will use them instead
of her feet. By is afraid the
opportunity will never
occur again so that he
can ride after them or any
others in Washington.
Tell Doctor and Mrs
Hines they are done out of
our group pho's. By ordered
a lot as soon as we arrived
here, but Boot's eyes were
so terrible (regular wall eyed)
that he refused them and so
can't get any more.
We are comfortably
situated here, Moetia will now
start in with her several kinds of
work and By will hang on for
another month and be ready
to go or remain as the next
news from the islands turns
out - By was a witness before


one of the judges of the Superior
court here a few days ago, and a 
lawyer had asked By "How long
were you Consul at Tahiti" By 
answered "from latter part of
1871 to middle of 1888" when
the Judge interposed and getting
up from his seat he came and
stood alongside of By and said
"Will you please tell me how old
you were when you went to Tahiti,"
By answered that and a few other questions
and the judge retired to his seat, the
lawyer (still on cross examination) asked
"where is your place of residence"
By replied "I don't think I have acquired
one," "Why," "For the reason
that for the last twenty five yearsI have been working for the U.S. 
in various capacities in different
parts of the world and I am now
seeking a place where I can
breathe freely" "That will do
I don't think we want any
more of your testimony" said
the lawyer.
Please tell Miss
White By is not going to answer her
part of the joint letter. He thinks he
deserves a full letter after the trouble
he took in hunting up the lost manuscript.
Both Moetia and By wish to
be remembered to all of Ky's household -
there at 947 T - the Hintons
Fergusons, Whitakers etc.
Bye Ky By


[*ATWATER]
Among the passengers on a Western train recently (says the Boston
Journal) was a woman very much overdressed, accompanied by a 
bright-looking nurse-girl and a self-willed, tyrannical boy of about
three years. The boy aroused the indignation of the passengers by his
continual shrieks, and kicks, and screams, and his viciousness toward
his patient nurse. He tore her bonnet, scratched her hands, and finally
spat in her face without a word of remonstrance from the mother. 
Whenever the nurse manifested any firmness the mother chided her
sharply. Finally, the mother composed herself for a nap, and about
the time the boy had slapped the nurse for the fifth time, a wasp came
sailing in and flew on the window of the nurse's seat. The boy at
once tried to catch it. The nurse caught his hand and said coaxingly:
"Harry mustn't touch. Bug bite Harry!" Harry screamed savagely
and began to kick and pound the nurse. The mother, without opening
her eyes, or lifting her head, cried out, sharply: "Why do you tease
that child so, Mary? Let him have what he wants at once!" "But,
ma'am, it's a --" "Let him have it, I say." Thus encouraged,
Harry clutched at the wasp and caught it. The scream which followed
brought tears of joy to the passengers' eyes. The mother awoke again.
"Mary," she cried "let him have it!" Mary turned in her seat and
said, confusedly: "He's got it, ma'am."
Hersford's Acid Phosphate
IMPARTS RENEWED STRENGTH
and vigor where there has been exhaustion.
[*"Has he got 'em?"
For the Docther*]