BLACKWELL FAMILY

KITTY BARRY BLACKWELL

1881
BLACKWELL ALICE SQuitsey. M.V.
Aug 22nd 81
My dear Pic,
Yrs from 'Squam came
Saturday at midnight.  F. went to
Camp meeting with E.M. Saturday
morning, had a good time, &
generally enjoyed herself.
Nothing decided in that quarter
as yet — but F. feels sure. He is
an upright young fellow that
is quite certain — all the
neighbors give him the highest
character. I showed Aunt
Ellen yr last because she
was so anxious to know why
the [pienier?] didn't turn out
well, & as at first I wdn't give
her the letter, her mind ran
off into suspicions of yr being
smitten with some one!  She was
so tickled about Capt. Asa, & sends
word that when she has anyone in view for you she will take 
the hint, and say nothing to you
about the matter!

What's [amirs] with Carry Sandford?
She has not figured in
yr letters as much as
usual.  Is it that you
are - jealous of my weakness
for that impish young
lady?  Or has the child not been
well?  A break ____ we have
returned from a drive to the
Menemsha Side, to see Otis
Flanders about a building
plan of Aunt Ey's- Otis
is son to Capt Daniel who is 
now 78 & supposed to be dying.
F. calls Otis F. "soft" because he seems
to her easily smitten by feminine
charms, & is understood to have
cast eyes upon F.  He must be
hopeless by now.  I think he looks
sensible enough, but he is 35 or 36
and so F. won't look at him.


Aug: 23rd:  As you are at home, will you
see about my umbrella at the
Old Colony?  It is brown silk, with a
black handle shaped this / and
has a small silvered snake twisted
round just above the catch for
the ribs, one rib has the silk mended
just at the edge, the edges of the silk
wearing into tiny holes.  The umbrella
was worth keeping as I should have
it recovered several times.  Mr
Conn borrowed it I think, & it was to be
left either with the telegraph clerk,
or the baggage room clerk.  First
ask tho' whether Mamma has
brought it home.

This blessed Isle is as charming
as ever.  If I out-live Aunt B. I
shall come to live here six months
of the year.  I like everything
as much as ever.  ___The air, the
downs, the sea, give me intense
satisfaction every moment.
There are still some of the 
good old stock left, inspite
of the corruption which hascrept among many of the islanders
of the younger generation.  You
will not run off with false
ideas when I say that I count 
Aunt Jedidah, Aunt Junimah &
Capt Asa, among the good old stock.
I don't suppose you remember Capt
A's mother?  Well she was a lady - very
dignified, and polite, and the two children
at the old home - especially the 
Capt - have much of the superior
manner of the Mother, all despite
the rough dress and work.
Maria has just written and asks
"What are the prospects"  of my
"permanent settlement on the
Island"? I think the people are 
all daft!  I tell M. [Mrs] Aunt Ellen
will have to do the courting and
proposing for both sides - as we
are both so shy that we should
never, even if we wanted it, ever
so much, rouse courage to become
acquainted!!!  Aunt E. has effectually
made me shy this time. She keeps me
on thorns lest she should say something
to the Captain outright.  I really believe she
wd be capable of such a thing!


How long are you to be alone?  I hope
some of the girls are to visit
you.  Seems to me you were
rather a dilapidated lot at
Annisquam. - 'taint any credit
to the female sex to break down
so.  There must be something
wrong in the bringing up of the
mass of girls, to have them such
feeblish, back-aching a
set.  Am glad you didn't fail. -
However, Aunt B. always declares
I ought to have been a boy as
I disregard times and seasons, and
continue to flourish - So perhaps
I am not quite a fair judge
of weak sisters.
       Have not had my weekly letter and
feel cross - I suppose Aunt B's letter
is wandering round in some good Islanders
pocket.  Letters always come, soon or
later, but people don't hurry themselves
about sending on.
      Aunt Ey sketches and so forgets
bothers - I am thankful for it.
Aunt El who is the kindest-heartedsoul in the world, does contrive
to put her foot on every 
tender spot individuals own!

How Aunt Ey is to bring those two
children up decently, I can't
think - Aunt El. without thinking
she does so, continues to really make
the chief part of Aunt Ey's work
useless!  It is most deplorable
if Susy turns out a moral woman
it will be because she is gifted
with rare good qualities, which
I don't think she has - but if
she is good it will be in despite of
her bringing up.  It is all very unjust
to the poor child, whom I pity.

This seems a very stupid letter.  Mind you
are not away from home when
Aunt Ey comes on, the first week
of September.  I shall remain till
the place closes, because I like
it, and to keep F. guarded from even
her sweet temper being riled - She is
frequently rubbed up the wrong way by
Aunt El.

Write soon,
Affy,
Kitty.


Quitsey. M. V. (Martha's Vineyard)
Sep: 3rd 1887.

Cara Mia,

So far with pen and
ink day before yesterday in the house - today, writing
on the beach below the boat houses.  Dr E.
& Miss E. both sketching.  We are all
seated on a log under the sandhills because
the tide is up.  Last Tuesday Aug 30th Floy's
wooing came to an end by Eliot Mayhew
asking her to be his wife and F.B.B. saying
yes.  Poor F. has had some bother to
undergo from Miss E's worrying, & the
children hovering round when she didn't
want them, but "Mamma" and "Aunty"
thought the dear innocents were being
perverted!  Take my word for it, Dr those
children are not so ignorant of things
as their two elders suppose.  Dr E. is like
a very good Papa - not much understanding
of girls -- Miss E. like a fond Mamma, who
will believe as a rule that children may

8th Sep.
Maria turned up.  Looks well - is so glad
to be here with me.  I mean to turn all the
haze upon M. now - so Miss E. had 
better take care.be bad, but her particular children,
are not to be judged from the same
standpoint as others.  Miss E. is quite
fat, far from strong, deafer in a way
than I am (hasn't her attention awake
I mean), and more inattentive in
dress and ways than ever.  I do not 
see how Dr E. is even to teach those
children decent manners at table,
and in meeting people, because from
Miss E's obliviousness they learn
careless ways from her and 'tis
what children see daily, that they
imitate.  Miss is so good, and kind-
hearted that one feels sorry to see her
step on peoples corns, as she certainly
does.  I like Eliot Mayhew.  He is
a thoroughly good fellow.  Of course
he is only a farmer and will remain
one ___ despite, Miss E's wish to set
him up in some other business.
Eliot is 29 - 4 years and a few days
older than Floy.  He is a head taller.


Having Eliot for a cousin!!  Do you
know, straight way Dr E. was put out
because of F.'s telling the children!
I think F. was right.  The children half
suspected & 'twas better they should
accept it simply & be told the truth.
_ _ _ _ _ Miss E. shows me her sketch,
a bit of beach, Capt. Asa's boat, his
lobster pots, & his shoes standing
beside the boat!  You wd suppose
I had been going on just like
Floy, from the way Miss E. points
out to my interested (supposed) eyes,
everything regarding Capt Asa.  His
house, his boat, his remarks.  I
report it all to Alice to plague her,
put fear I've little success.  She
won't be alarmed.  Miss E. told me that
last summer she told Dr E. that Capt
Asa had wished to marry me twelve
years ago but had not dared to ask
me, that this year as, I was coming
over 'tw'd be a good opportunity.  She
says Dr E. was at first, taken
aback, but thought 'tw'd not be a
bad thing!!!! Very cool, asshe thought for F. to sink into a
farmers wife here, wd be unfitting
for her niece, not to imaging that
for me too, brought up by her
sister, 'tw'd be just as unfit ___I
do not agree with Dr E., for I think
Eliot or Capt Asa much more
of persons than F. B.  I believe too,
in New England American farmers &
if I were to marry anyone who so
fit as a half - sailor?!  It seems to
amuse Miss E. to haze me, & does me
no harm, except that when I do see
that shy Capt Asa (who blushes like
a girl), I feel shyer than usual.
Since F. & Eliot "have been in a 
state of bliss" they have taken to
match making, & Eliot proposes
that I shall marry Otis Flanders
a son of good old Capt Daniel Flanders'
'a very good fellow,' says Eliot "nearly 40 &
wd make a good husband, I should
like to see him happy.  Why wd he not
do for Miss Barry." The joke is that
Miss E. too, has come out in favour
of O. F. & is inclined to throw over,


Capt Asa ___ I decline to allow her
to change her mind tho'.  I tell her she
is fickle.  As Miss E. plans a letter to you,
and a report of K.B. I thought you
might as well know what faith to part
in her joke.  Did my last tell you that
Maria was to come to M.V.?  Miss Jemimah
takes her for my sake.  I wrote to Miss
J. a note (she was away at Camp meeting) awaiting
her return, & when I went for my
answer, she said 'yes' to my request
to take Maria.  She said she had
read my 'pretty note" to "Asa" and he
thought they cd not say "no" to it.  Miss
E. builds much upon M's two weeks
at Capt A's.  I think you need not
refuse your consent by Cable, however!

If I had a lot of money (the $5.000.00 from
the Italian history for instance!!) I should
straightaway buy Mrs Stewart's house
and the tumbledown house & land
in front to the cliff edge.  The air
is glorious, and the sea & hills as
fine and attractive as ever.  I shallmiss this air when I do leave - Nearly
two weeks more, I am glad to say.
You see as things are settled between
F. & E. F. is to remain till Miss E. closes
the house, instead of returning with
Dr E. this week.  I remain to prevent
rubs between F. & Miss E. & help in the
packing up.  Edith returns to
Swarthmore Sep 13th, but as Dr
E. objects to either F. or myself returning
to Somerville till cool weather
because she considers Mr Sam's
place malarious, & suggests my
going to Swarthmore itself.  I feel
less troubled at not seeing E. for a 
week at home.  Dr Emily is in
a good state of health - Since I
came, an ever ready companion
for a walk, she has enjoyed it, &
felt so much better for the
walk on downs & beach.  We
walk too up & down Mrs Tisfield
in front of the house for a 


couple of hours every evening -
we both feel better for it.  That
power of walking is one of the
comforts of this dear old island
the walking is possible, & safe, by
no means the case on the
main land.  I felt, really at Mr
Harry's and Maria's as tho' I
should grow ill if I did not
have some exercise other
than driving.  I hope we can train
Grace to walk - at present she
thinks it impossible!

The American papers are very
indignant at the exclusion of the
lady doctors from the Congress -
I should think Paget wd feel
rather mean to be President of
such a meeting in England, when
the Continental meetings have
been so much more liberal.

We need not decide to buy Rock
House this winter, or give
notice to quit, as we can
keep on another three years
just as we are - if we
like.  I approve of the house.
I cannot bear to leave it.
I'll see the property at Orange,
Dr E. rather proposes to pass
her winter in Orange.  She
has no garden in N. Y. for the
pick to run in, the schools
are dear & not good, & Orange
has space & good schools.  In
O. too Miss E. can keep house, - in
N. Y. she can't - and that wd
relieve Dr E. of one of her
great burdens.
Eliot M. wd marry directly,
but he has to build his house,
and must earn some of the
money to do so.  I think he

 suits F., and had he had even the
chances she has had, he wd be
more developed intellectually 
than F.  F. talks very freely
to me of their plans, & the
more she tells me, the better
I like him - tho' not the
femines of his immediate
family.  He is a shy, reserved
fellow, and has great fear of
Miss E's congratulations - we
have not allowed them!  I think
F's life will be as easy as he can
make it, - he is helpful - as
she has accepted him we must
be as encouraging as possible
to the young couple.  He is much
more of a man than Washburne
and will certainly care for
his wife independently while
W. wd have been sure
to collapse, & come down
on Mr Sam for help.I think we had better keep on the
Fairburns ___ it will leave
us few to look about us and
settle what we are to do in 
the future.  I do not agree to
having you leave the big room
to Grace & myself ___ I like
to look at you in her too well!

Sep 6th    Miss sends a note as I
have over-written one postage.
She really is bent on marrying
me!  Floy too is desirous to see
me settled as a neighbor near
her.  Should you be overwhelmed
if I appeared with Otis Flanders at
Rock House?  How should we
ever solve the difficulty of the
3,000 miles between M. V. and Rock House?
Don't be much alarmed, dear!

Yours affy, Kitty.

2 p.m. Sep 6th:  A yellow fog come on
since dinner.  Never before saw a
yellow fog this side!  'Tis as yellow
as London fog, but clean & dry!!!

than Floy, and seems a steady, honest,
and very reliable fellow.  He has
been a good friend to the N's and Susie
there three years ___ tho' this year
11 29 year old girls are beginning to be
rather a nuisance to him ____a fact
I see, but Miss E. does not.  You
can imagine how Floy pours
out to me as to Eliot!!  I find it
amusing to come in for a love
affair, specially as the two Aunts
tho' in a way, sympathetic with
F. are full of scruples as to this
that and the other way of her
doing or not doing things.  Not that
I think her ways perfect by any means,
but Dr E. & Miss E. take them for F's
ways alone, whereas the things
they dislike are really the American
way of doing and looking at such
things & not peculiar too F.   Our F.
has a really high standard of morals,
herself, and requires it from theyoung men with whom she
associates.  I tell you this, as
no doubt you will have varied
views of F. and her affairs given
to you and I want you to judge her
fairly.  Alice & I stick up for Floy,
methodism & all.  I already feel
like championing Eliot.  Last
night, as the young fry had been
bothering F. she concluded it was
best to tell them she was engaged to
Eliot, that her constant seeing
him might be accounted for ____
I agreed with F. as to telling the children,
Miss E. read one of Jules Verne's stories
to the three last night.  She had
no idea how those three beamed at
me, while seeming to listen to her, nor
how each child came to bid me good-
night and said with bright eyes &
smiles, "Eliot is to be our cousin! Do
you like it Kitty?"  And first thing
this morning, the three called upon me
in my bed in the attic to ask "if
I liked