BLACKWELL FAMILY LUCY STONE 1866 Blackwell, Henry BNew York May 12, 1866 Dearest Lucikin I send you by today's mail a Tribune containing the proceedings of the Nat'l Woman's Rights Convention-- It evidently went off well & the speeches are excellent--What do you say to our making the following experiment? Take our carriage June 1st with a good horse which I will buy in N. York putting them on board the Hartford Steamer & driving thence to Gardner--Lay out a list of say 25 Massachusetts townes--Advertise the giving of as many lectures on Woman's Rights by yourself & me-- Admission free--you shall speak first in all cases, but if you prefer only for a short time, or as long as you feel like--I will follow filling up all gaps & weaving in any you may omit--then, if you choose you shall close or not--In short, I will act as your supporter & aid & we will see whether we cannot do your great work a real service-- Lucy dear--I am sure that if you feel able & willing to make the trial good will come of it!--If you [?] [?] & you don't find the spirit move you will see that I will come up well to the rescue, & if you are in good mood, I will gladly make myself breif & witty in a ten minute speech you taking the whole time--Let us try to sing the new song of [?] together. Dont let this suggestion [?] you--if the hour for its accomplishment has not yet come--we can afford to wait--Today I shall see Mr. Harris and ascertain what he wants to do, if anything, & shall go out Montclair tonight to see the [?] & spend the Sunday with Emily on the hill side. The weather is beautiful I am very well Have lately read Victor Hugo's "Toilers of the Sea" a fine story which I will bring you. Am now reading the May Atlantic which I will also bring you--Meanwhile my dear wife & sweetheart I am counting the days till we meet again & have the holy & pure joy of feeling our unity of soul--for we now know that we are one forever--in sickness and in health in joy & in sorrow & our love will grow in the future as it has in the past--kiss our dear little Alice La Crosse Wis May 7, 1866 Dearest Lucikin Here I am, safe & well, this beautiful Sunday afternoon waiting for a certain tax sale which is to come off day after tomorrow--I expect to be back in New York some time at the end of this week & as soon as I can get off to come up to my new home in Mass. whereafter that may be--since you & Alice make my home & where you are not home no longer exists for me-- I cannot tell you how glad I am to think of soon rejoining you, nor how happy I shall be when we are again together--it is not impossible that I may have to come West again for a short time to complete my friend's investments but cannot tell yet-- Meanwhile we will discuss plans & prospects when we meet & arrange to spend the summer together in some beautiful mountain place-- or sea shore if you prefer it-- This place has improved surprisingly since you last saw it It is now a really very pretty & neat town & the river & bluffs as lovely as ever--I have bought some superior property & may perhaps buy more but not till I have conferred with the Harrisons--I am also thinking of entering some landon joint a/c with friends-- fine smooth prairie--the best wheat lands in America at 60 cts per acre-- If George were not with me & if I did not force my mind to activity, I should have the blues horribly at being separated from you--somehow I have not any rest except with you. Yesterday afternoon George & I went over with a very fine noble looking & excellent Scotchman named Craik, a Miller, to look at George's Pine Creek Mill Seat--As the [boat] fery boat did not return that night we took a skiff & rowed across the swift current of the Mississippi now very high & all the islands & flats submerged 3 miles wide-I crossing the overflowed timber bottoms coming back after night we got entangled in the logs & brush & trees & were 3 hours--from 7 to 10 P.M. working our way across--the night was beautiful clear star light, the air fresh yet mild--the huge bluffs back of La Crescent were all on fire--the grass burning looking like huge snakes of fire--no volcano pouring out floods of lava could have looked more magnificent--we enjoyed the adventure very much--God bless you darling dee--your letter last rec'd I got at St. Paul dated 24th Apl--& you then expected to start from Roseville the Tuesday following--kiss to Alice Love to all our kith and kin from ever your own HarryWednesday Sept 4 Dear Sister You will be glad to learn that Emma's fever has ceased. She has had no fever turn since Sunday in the afternoon. She had quite a hard one then and I expected it was going to continue a week longer. She has been very comfortable all the time. Has not been delirious in the least. We have depended on [water?] for the cure and I think has done its work well. In haste Sarah (She is very weak yet but her appetite is good) Mrs. [Pressom?] is here nowP.S. Friday Sept 7. 1866 The enclosed letter reached us last night & I suppose from its contents that you will not be in Gardner long & will probably bring the folks back with you, as Emma cannot have had real Typhoid fever & may probably be moved soon. The Gay Head party reached home last night & report that they met Mrs. Randolph & Margaret at Mrs. Dymond's on their way hither. Margaret ran out "to know whether we had got help elsewhere & whether she was expected--they told her she was wanted & waited for but had better not come till this am. as the bed was not ready & it was their evening--so Margaret promised to come this morning but at 7 a.m. has not yet appeared. Kitty has answered Emily's letter but asks to remain in Ware till the 12th & as Emily has countermanded her invitation [*to come Kitty will not come till notified--the children are well & happy Yours Harry*] Thursday afternoon 4 P.M. Sept. 6. 1866 Dearest Lucikin I hope that this most glorious day has cheered and refreshed you as it has us! I got back to Mr. Mayhew's by 7 1/2 P.M. last night, and at 8 P.M. was eating my supper--the children both snug in bed. This morning Sam Emily & Ellen started in the light wagon for Gay Head. Marian and I, after moving Mother out of doors, took a pleasant walk to [Sugar?] Loaf Rock & the hill halfway beyond it towards Mt Prospect, returning to dinner. Up to this time Mrs. Randolph & Margaret have not yet made their appearance--the children have played happily together both out of doors & in their attic--in the course of conversation I sounded Marian as to her being annoyed or troubled by the addition of Sarah & Emma & Anna to our party. She said without hesitation that if we could get & keep Margaret so that the extra work would would not be too much for Mary, she would be very glad to see them & had not the slightest unwillingness to have them come. Soyou see that I was quite right in my supposing as much & I hope you will give up the idea of "Thatcher's Island" & bring them down here, if they can come soon or at any rate arrange with them to follow you here, if you find they can be left--I think that we can make them & ourselves comfortable. The sea & sky are glorious today & I hope & believe that the next 6 weeks sure will be brighter & pleasanter than the last. The air will be cool & bracing & if Mother convalesces as we hope, the whole movement of the domestic machine will be smoother. Nothing yet from Kitty. If you get time, write to Susan to know what she is doing & proposing to do. If Sarah will not or cannot come with Anna, bring Emma if she can be moved. Write me beforehand & I will meet you at N. Bedford. In any event, avoid [?] loss of sleep--take good regular meals & trust in God & in me--Alice sends love to you & [*says "say it seems very lonely without her." But I must say that her spirits seem very good indeed & that she seems entirely well. as I am also. Goodbye darling dear & believe me Ever your own Harry*]