1891 Blackwell Family Kitty Barry Blackwell Blackwell, Alice S.Kitty Barry Rock House Feb 15th 1891 Rec Mch 5 " My dear Alice, I am glad the Convention is safely over. It seems as though Cornelia was really well rid of that young man. I do hope it will have taught C. discretion so that you Mother will not be kept in constant anxiety as what the young lady may be doing. Since we go on in our usual way. Aunt M. takes cold and is miserable as it invariably upsets her digestion. The daily routine of life is a burden. She visits the "Dolls Houses" as Aunt A. calls them, and considers where things are to go, does small shoppings, reads a good deal andso gets through the day. Frances, tho' different in tastes, is a great interest to Aunt M. and it is a pity to have them parted as seems inevitable. F. who has been all the winter in Paris, writes constantly. Aunt M is much surprised at Aunt Bs powers of going about and her active interest in so many things, and constantly says in a melancholy voice- to me--"I hope it may last a few years more"! Aunt M's stomach makes her I suppose regard all things from a doleful point of view too often. Aunt B. was in London last week and bought the "Demeter" of Tennyson for me. She had to go up this week too, and came back having borrowed Browning's "Asolando" for me-- Aunt M. has carried it off. That reminds me:-- you asked if I had read a book (I have not your letter by me) of Rose L[?irrings] 'No' and ditto to the other book, the name whereof I have forgotten. Poor Floy! I wish we were near enough to be of use to her. I hope you can get her a girl but a Frenchwoman seems unlikely to be very trustworthy. Have you thought of a North German? You know the Hanoverians not only have the best German accent, but are considered among the most truth-tellinghonest and trustworthy of the Germans. We have secured for Aunt M. a very nice girl from Hanover. She is now with a neighbor but finds 8 to 18 in family, and a tall house, too much for her. Elise has taken a liking to Aunt M. Elise has in three years, taught herself to speak English well- She corrects Maggie if M. misuses or mispronounces words! Aunt B was much pleased with your last letter anent Aunt Evy's paper and C. She remarked "tis a very good letter. What a thoroughly good child Alice is!" Talking of noblesse oblige, Agnes, if ever she goes to Paris, will have not only the family honour Aunt B. was 70 the 3d of February! I can hardly realize it. Dr Lyack, as usual sent her a greeting, as also did Aunt A. who also, never forgets the day. Dr Lyack wishes Aunt B. wd go over next summer and spend the winter too, when she wd have a "warm social welcome and find yourself as thoroughly appreciated as you ought to be. I will promise you shall not be killed by hospitality!" Dr Lyack means this. Love to all! affy. K.B.to maintain, but the honour of the U.S. for tis unfortunately too true that the manner of young Americans, as a whole, are a great discredit to their country. Quiet, self= respecting, independent girls abroad, are supposed always to be English. This is really a very stupid letter. Rock House. Hastings. Feb. 24th 1891 My dear Alice, the two dogs and I have just returned from a lovely walk on the East Hill. The day is bright, the air fresh & mild & the sun as hot as most days in May. We begin each day now with a thick mist, which clears off by 10 a.m. and leaves us nice long, bright, and hot afternoons. Each night we have a heavy white frost.Much as we should like to see you all in the U.S. I don't see how it can be done. 'Tis not the days that stand in our way, but the two elders refuse to entertain such an[d] idea- they say they are too old to do such things. Aunt B. is never too old to entertain such plans. If we were ever seriously to plan crossing and our bigs were alive and well, we should bring them also, though we should burden none but ourselves sports of town"-- We are so constantly being told there are plenty to jump at such offers! Where are they? "No news" Aunt M. exists. Yet, finding her body and life a burden as she constantly says, she, in engaging a German girl lately to come to the new house, particularly enquired whether Elise was liable to catch cold as she, Aunt M. could not have a girl who had a weakness that way being given to taking coldsif any were in the house! It would seems as though not finding life interesting no special care would be taken of one's body!! Aunt Anna sent us the notice of your Papa's new houses for sale-- it quite excited my envy! Such conveniences! Why how glad we should be if we could find such here. I must end this hastily. We have a dressmaker to superintend. Love to all- affy K.B. Papa lately sent Aunt M. a letter with a 5ct Canadian stamp. with their care on arrival. i was amused by yr Father's suggestion of making sausages of the dogs. I am afraid Charlie would be tough, she devotes herself to so much snarling and barking! Don, since his illness has grown much older and would also be tough, but Burr is good- natured and plump, so when we make mince- meat, Burr must be yr father's share- all the dogs are fed on cooked food and wont touchraw or dirty stuff I am so glad Floy had a visit from her Mother and Ethel. I don't like her having a Porgugese. They have a very bad reputation in Africa as cruel, lying and dirty. How comes it that Portugese turn up in such a place as M.V.? I've told Maria of Floy's needs in case she might know of an American woman who would go to M.V. It is amazing that there is such difficulty in getting an American fond of the country and not given to "sighing for the Rock House. Hastings. March 14th 91 My dear Alice; The enclosed is after your own heart, is it not? Your second letter from Washington came yesterday. I am so sorry for all your worries- especially that Miss Shaw has so greatly disappointed you. I expected you would have no end of bother over the Council Meetings, as I have no faith in Miss A. or her belongings. Anent Mrs Stanton's article in the Westminster the Pall Mall had an editorial. & greatly condemned her attitude and said in effect that if thatwas to be the tone taken by women generally, it might well give advocates of the vote for women anxiety. The P.M.G. remarked, "Miss, or Mrs Cady?" says so and so, & someone, a day or two later explained who Mrs C.S. was. I meant to send you the paper, but Aunt M. gave it away. How glad you must all be to be back in your own quarters. I hope you have no call to any public meetings outside New England for a long time to come! Such a week of "weather" as we have had. Monday we woke to find it very cold having had these weeks of bright sky and hot sunshine much before. You have read of snow-bound trains in Devon & Cornwall in drifts from ten to twenty feet deep. This blizzard, like all the cold and storms of this queer winter has attacked all the S., E. & West of England and Wales (the mild region!) whilst the North of England & the whole of Scotland have had a mild open winter! The little houses get on and the two Aunts have an active correspondence about them and living arrangements. Mr Gladstone comes here next weekand Aunt Anna is glad she is not to be here when the [old] 'great Mendicant Office= seeker" comes--this is her rendering of grand old man! She is a good hater! The boys send their love to you, say it is a pity you do not know the "most clubbable" gentleman of this "American Club"- see Dr Jessop's "Trials of a Country Parson." the chapter "Snowed up in Arcady." Love to all, affy, K.B. This 2nd enclosure sent Aunt B. evidently copied from the N.Y. [?Puck]. By noon Monday, it was very dull and suddenly up sprang a furious wind from the N.E. and down came a blinding snow storm. All our smacks were out, and when the blizzard came, we could see the smacks struggling to make for the shore. Then for twelve hours the wind blew a hurricane from N.E., the snow swirled in blinding clouds, and nothing could be seen twenty feet from the house. Our smacks, aided by bonfires lighted all along the shore, mostly ran on the stai[?] broadside on, & so were held by the pebbles, but six parted their anchors and were driven out to sea, so hadto begin anew the struggle to reach land in the blinding snow, and against an off- shore hurricane all but one boat tho' greatly damaged were beached, but the 'Linnet' after four hours hard battle went to pieces and her crew of three were lost.. The snow fell all Tuesday and the greater part of Wednesday. This has been the worst storm this stormy winter. The path up the E. Hill not cleared yesterday and all other paths only a track cleared- the snow, hard frozen is three feet deep in protected places, and five to eight on exposed roads within town boundaries--Country roadsRockHouse Hastings March 21th 1891 My dear Alice: The book for aunt M. came yesterday. Our address is 1 Gloucester Place Croft Road Hastings - for the present the exact address of the doll's houses is not as yet settled. I hope Floy will not in desperation have to take her own work in hand. We shall soon have a new house after six years of Maggie. M is [?ing] her father's farm M may and he marries in July - the young man going down there. They have two servants in view, & one of experience who has [hun?] with Mrs Newcombe. Mrs Nurey much wants her Sarah to come to us - she is older than Maggie and has a very nice sensible face. Isaw her once when I made a trip & Rye with Mrs. Prout- Newcombe and Jessie. Mabel N. starts for a trip to Italy on Monday and wishes that I were going too. Don't I wish so very much, but I am to have some books bought in Florence by Mabel - perhaps they will smell of olives, capucini and old palaces, & do be an agreeable reminder of the beautiful land. One of these days I am going to London to see Jessie Newcombe &(?)stigate her work among the Chelsea poor. Visiting the poor as part of the Church (a big C!) work seems to me a queer business. I should hate to be visited if poor and should hate to be a visitor - it always seems so intrusive to go poking about other people's quarters. Fancy my delivering moral lectures to the poor. I think Highlanders would suit me best as my poor, they are so proud and reserved and hate patronizing charity. The little book by Miss Mary Hilkins "A Humble Romance" EC have you seen it? Strikes me as quite photographic pictures of New England. I like her kind of poor. Aunt B has just come from two days in London where she went to attend various Committee meetings Ec. She spent her nights with Dr Garratt-Anderson who was very friendly. Have you seen a book issued by the Philadelphia Peace Society called "The Haydock's Testimony." Sarah Collins (Mrs. Worthington) has sent it to me. It is a picture of the trials of the Friends during the Civil War. It is an excellent tallthe people are living, no mere clay figures. I believe it must be a [skit] tale founded on personal experiences. I like Friends - naturally, as they are always ready to be "in the right with two or three." Always when my cause Aunt B. takes up comes to be popular, there seems something wrong, I only feel quite natural when she is on the weakest side. This is called for. In haste, Love to all, K.B. Aunt M pretty [?]. Chadie snarly as usual. Mr. Gladstone here this week - the drunken [?] nearly upset the carriage when on their return to the station. Rock House. Hastings April 10th 1891 My dear Alice: A book, in fact two books, have lately come here for Aunt M. from you, and been safely given to her. The 2nd part of Miss Wilkins' book so far does not seem to me as clever as the 1st series. Aunt M's house slowly gets on. Chadie has been making herself too agreeable to Don - and Burr too Aunt M's indignation. It gives her bother to have Chadie wildly yelling whenever we pass the windows, for those scamps knowing the young lady is wanting to see them. No sooner pass St. Clements than away they fly, and of course I can't keep pace with four legs: so they arrive before me & rush into the front garden of 1 Croft Road. Like the old song "They Turned the Corner. I knewthey would, they've gone to Chadie B's - and I have to drive them down, and before me, is the East Hill. Luckily, Chadie will soon snarl at them from the window, instead of [from] yelling to come down, then won't they fly! 'Tis very funny to be a nice dog make even a St Bernard rush off in a fright. Yesterday on our hill two black & tan rough-haired terriers, a black and white wire-haired terrier much afflicted with asthma, and a fox-terrier with some trouble in his hind legs, Known to me (my name for him) as 'three-legs', volunteered their company, and so I had an estcort of six dogs! When I sat down on a bench under the trees, three small dogs jumped up by me 'three-legs' sat in front and gazed, & Don & Burr gravely accepted the situation. I never allow quarrels. guardians they were considered [?]. If only one new candidate had come forward. the whole of the sitting members would have had to offer themselves for reelection. We are having very cold days now, tho' the trees are turning out and the daffodils are out in the garden. Do you suppose they will take a small bay? I hope she will succeed if she wants one, but if her servant should not keep with her, what would poor Floy do? – the burden would be so great! Tonight (April 11th) we are to have Mr & Mrs Prout. Newcombe [?] - they are up at High Wickham for a "rest." Pretty Mable N. has gone to Florence – I wish I were there too!How soon now, you will be alone for I suppose Ethel & Nanie will both be gone for holidays – does either return to Boston? How the young folk are getting one – Nannie, Ethel & Carnelia, 21 this year, and Agnes just 24 - it seems but yesterday since the Summer of 1864 when we had baby Agnes at Montclair, and she did much squalling because of pains in her stomach! Give my love & all at Pope's Hill. Yours affy, K.B. P.S. Aunt B. would not like a picture of herself to appear in the Journal; but, if you like to keep copies of her best photo, on sale, for the benefit of the Journal, she would be very glad you should do that. What photo have you? We cd not send a parcel from Lire, for the U. S. would charge a very high duty! [*Have you a photo taken [in] at Salzburg or the later one taken here?*] and whip any volunteer dog that runs after sheep, cows, or chickens. Don & Burr are hunters, yet they never think of chasing farm animals – such good is training. Did I ever tell you how I saw a sheep running one day as we went by on the foot-path outside the field fence, & looking over saw that a dog was chasing it? I leaned over the fence and cracked my whip loudly, the dog ran off, & the sheep ran up to the fence near to me; Don & Burr standing either side of me gravely watching. I rubbed the sheep's head through the slats & found it was a ram, but some human rascal had cut of his horns entirely. I fed the poor thing with grass & It followed by the fence as far as it could as we went home. Some Days after as I huntthat way again, & the ram knew me from the other side the field, and came running up to me & he fed & stroked, and did not fear Don and Burr in the least! I did not think a sheep would remember. I write this in our living room Don & Burr asleep on the old sofa & Aunt B. gone [?] rate-payers meeting called for 8./5-p. m. that working-men may have a chance to attend - Cabies must particularly desired to be present on same such phrase, on the [?] cards. I think we must have more women rate-payers (local taxes) than men hire. We have just reelected Miss Sara Mosely as a Poor Law Guardian for our parish (St Clements) for three years, & one of the St Leonards Parishns has also elected a lady. As no one opposed any of the St Clements [*We English and very particular to girls conduct - As indeed are the best Americas now. That the inroad of foreigners has made it so needful. Mrs [?] left the U.S. m*] Back House [?] Sept. 12th 1891 My dear Alice; Many happy returns of the 14th - we shall think of you. May you, before 1892, know how We make thee! - I did not have a chance, were I you, for the Remonstrauts to crow away your life of ordinary knowledge; - if they knew, how delighted they would be! You have brains, & can harm - if you will to. We have smoking hot weather, E., avg I. I. E. winds, very dry (as dry as English heat ever is), but famous for cold catching for the quality of the wind is raw.[*1867 - He returned in 1871 with Frances. She said that he saw such a change in manners in that brief time, that he would not have been...*] Son & Burr lie] about like wilted dogs - they dislike damp heat as much as I do. We had a dinner at Aunt Anna's one evening. This week - vegetarian entirely. Aunt A has taken that up as a "kink" since coming here. We had vegetable marrow/squash soup - tomatoes - pie - fruits. It was called the house warming but tho' it was our first meal there. Aunt A. has twice previously had guests break bread with her. Once a Clergyman & his wife, & last week, a French lady & a French Doctor both of whom she knew in Paris. She looks very well but of course does not think she is so. Aunt M's eyes are very troublesome. Aunt B. says she aught not read; which is very hard for her, as she can't knit or play music. I wish we lived nearer to her we are a 20 minute walk away - for Aunt A. tho' she has been told, never seems to think of reading to Aunt M., but will give her the 'Echo' a badly printed paper to read! Aunt B. fully believes that, with care & rest, Aunt M's eyes will be all right. I wish Frances lived here. She stays in France till October. F. would be an interest to Aunt M. & a help in many ways. She would protect Aunt M., so that those poor eyes would have a fair chance. I hope nothing will prevent Frances coming this Winter. AuntKitty Barry B. and Miss Cobbe keep up a correspondence just now, [(?)] such a scrawl as this represents Miss C's you! The post goes out soon, so that I must quit. Have you read "For God and Humanity" by Rev: Haskett Smith. 'Tis a novel & Haskett " was Laurence Oliphant's chief helper at Haifa- we found it interesting, as we know a good deal about Laurence O's work in Palestine. Love to all. affy K.B. I should think Ada would be an excellent helper about that Beth- anyhow she could not easily be taken in she is so sharp by nature & trained to observe. Then her mother able to let F. be as before, had he been settling town in New York again. Sheridan's Ride Up from the South at break of day, Boing ing to Winchester fresh dismay, The affrighted air with a shudder bore. Like a herald in haste to the chieftain's door The terrible grumble and rumble and roar Telling the battle was on once more, And Sheridan twenty five miles away. And wilder still those billows of war Thundered along the [?] bae, And louder yet into Winchester rolled The roar of that red sea uncontrolled, Making the blood of the listener cold, As he thought of the stake in that fiery fray, And Sheridan twenty miles away. But there is a road from Winchester town A good broad highway leading down, And there; through the flush of the morning light, A steed, as black as the steeds of night, Was seen to pass with eagle flight.As if he knew the terrible need He stretched away with his utmost speed; Hill rose and fell _ but his heart was gay, With Sheridan fifteen miles away Still spring from those swift hoops, thundering south, The duet like the dust-front the cannon's mouth, Or the trail of a comet; sweeping faster and faster Foreboding to traitors doom of disaster; The heart of the steed and the heart of the master Were beating like prisoners assaulting their walls, Impatient to be where the battle field calls; Every nerve? of the charger was strained to full play, With Sheridan only ten miles away. Under his spurning feel, the road, Like and arrowy Alpine river flowed, And the land scape sped away behind like an ocean flying before the wind; And the steed like a bark fed with furnace ire, Swept on, with his wild eyes full of fire, But for he is nearing his heart's desire He is snuffing the smoke of the roaring fray With Sheridan only five miles away. The first that the General saw were the groups Of stragglers, and then the retreating troops. What was done. What to do. a glance told him both; Then striking his spurs, with a terrible oath, He dashed down the line 'mid a storm of huzzas, And the wave of retreat checked its course there, because The sight of the master compelled it to pause. With foam and with dust the black charge in real gray; By the flash of his eye, and his red nostril's play, He seemed to the whole great army to say: "I have brought you Sheridan all the way From Winchester to save the day." Hurrah, hurrah for Sheridan! Hurrah, hurrah for horse and man! And when their statues are placed on high Under the dome of the Union sky, The American soldier's temple of Fame, There, with the glorious General's name, Be it said in letters both bold and bright "Here is the steed that saved the day, By carrying Sheridan into the fight; From Winchester, twenty miles away!"