Anna Dickinson Family Correspondence [Sept, 18, 1888 - Sept, 30, 1888]FRASIER HOUSE, Near Union Depot. A. J. DOBBINS, Prop. Elmira, N.Y., 9.18.1888 Dear little Dicky, I hope "all went well", that she has not a "'ead", that our blessed little Maumee is better & that she did & does understand how this one felt about seeing so little of her, & that some one is to be found soon who is yr right one in ye right place, & finally that Louisa got to her bearings, &realized that I did want to see her - for she was more than half crying & I would not for any thing hurt her. We got here all right at 9.15 - prowled - found this hotel crammed - Fair week. - left hand-baggage & fed at ye depot restaurant, - consumed a half hour over tickets - the agent being a good natured youth who studied for me & found the way to go is by Urbana, a FRASIER HOUSE. New Union Depot. A.J. DOBBINS, Prop. Elmira, N.Y., 188 new road from there to Richmond, close connection that brings us in at 8 P.M. if on time. Hope it will be. - The hotel clerk is a nice man who sent us to a private house but a step away where we have a room - porter took us & will come for us at 1.13. - I have crawled into my wrapper & will dig at some more papers. =Emma says "please send my dear dear love to Mother & Miss Susie" — as for meI send more than the paper will hold. - Give Marmee a squeeze & a kiss & tell her she must be a good little lion & get strong. My heart to her. - L to the 7's & no end of it to Dickey from A R to M'yThe Western Union Telegraph Company Received 4 43p 9/21 1888 Dated Muncie Ind N. To Miss S.E. Dickinson All all right immense house at Richmond will write from Indianapolis Dearest love to Mother Anna.TELEGRAM NUMBER SENT BY REC'D BY CHECK 6 64 N [?]Paid 35¢ Dated Indianapolis Ind Received at 710 PM To Miss S.E. Dickinson Sept 22 1888 Dearest Love to mother all right will write tomorrow Anna.Indianapolis Ind 9.23.88 Dear little Dickey, We got away from Elmira all right at 1.30. Found Centre Section in a beautiful car & I lived through the night in a way tolerably comfortable - for me. Had meals & quite good ones on the train, but wastired enough when afternoon came to find a relief in a change of cars. - Waited about an hour at Urbanna in the very dirtiest waiting room even I ever saw. - and that is saying a good deal. - Got a Pan Handle Sleeping car so had comfortable seats & a nice little supper & reached Richmond about 8.45. (their time.) We had comfortable quarters & I clawed away at notes & things the next day, avoided callers, saw of necessity Com. Men & went on the platform in a sort of whirl - but got through. The house was a tremendous jam. No room for a fly! - The Com, I take it, were not rejoiced over my non tariff talk, but the people& the old soldiers, specially, I think were well content. I could not get out of the house that day, but went the next morning, & had quite a little call on Aunt A. gave her your message of love & had much store of it in turn confided me to be sent. - Poor, dear old soul! - She seems so kind, & simple, & good tis abominable her own are not every thing they ought to be to her. - She lives in a little bit of a house with quite a good sized room in front a sort of compound of parlor & shiping room, a nice carpet on the floor & one or two bits of her old furniture (mahogany it looks) & some other matter. a couple of rocking chairs, her bed &c &c all as neat as wax. - anothergood sized room - kitchen & dining room at the back & side of the other. As far as I could see that was all unless there was a little garret room over head. I asked her who helped her, & she said nobody (of course some one must do her rough work) that she had so long done for herself she would be lost if she hadn't it to do. - she said "I have all I need to eat, & to drink, & to wear, & a comfortable bed to sleep in," but alas! She must be very poor. Her poor old thin, head was tied about in a sort of linen cap covering her ears & she said her trouble (which is in her left ear) seems at least far better. - & she is evidently of cheerful mind. I scared out a $10 bill tho' I didn't knowhow to do it - but I thought she must not have less - since she possessed about 4 cents at the time) - & wished it could have been $100. Still, when all is said she has such a comfortable spirit that it may not be as painful to her as it seemed to me. A somebody Coffin - who used to know Samuel, & who collected with Will, Vivian I saw at the train with some more. - & May whatever her name is - the damsel whose picture thee has - & I didn't like her at all & neither "Aunt Mary" nor "Cousin Sue" will want her. Be sure of that. I thought of the poor, old woman in the little house - & as I looked at this one, I did not like her. She sent her love & here it is for all that it is worth. = I changed cars at Newcastle on my way to Muncie, had to waitfor an hour & was overrun the whole town shaking hands to my discomfort & Emma's horrible disgust. there were heaps of Friendly's among them - half the town seemed to be of Mammy's "Queer Sort" who called everybody "Sister" & "brother" & "Mother" & Father" so & so, - & on the next train came along Frederick Douglass who also changed cars there - & was also to speak at Muncie, only his 'owl was in the afternoon & mine in the evening, - in the Rink. My stars! but it was hot! - I did not hear him, but he stayed to hear me, & - whatever the unhappy Com. throught, he said it was "the only speech he had heard this campaign & that in all thetimidity & fear, it made his heart glow." - All the same the speech might be better. It serves its purpose to make some money anyhow. - & it will probably grow. This report of it - which I have only half read makes foolery of it - but I send it along. - I had a great cram last night - Oh! I forgot Frederick D. wished his love sent to Miss Sue & "to the dear old blessed Mother, whom may God long spare." & he is growing a very old man. He is big & noble looking still, but he shows plainly his years. - = At the cars, at Muncie a lady came & spoke to me with tears fairly, in her eyesas she talked of her "dear old teacher" & hoped "she remembers me" & wished her "best love & well wishes sent" - she said she was Sarah Steer - Harriet Steer's daughter. = To-day Gen Harrison's son called with an invitation from his father & mother to dine & I went there & had a long drive with them afterwards. I will tell what I think about them in a other dokeyment. - The house is a handsome & substantial home, but nothing superfine, - the dinner was excellent but plain. - Mrs. H. had a shocking bad-cold, but was hospitably speechless. for the rest I willponder, & disclose further anon. Meanwhile there are the clips. [O] What I said was how the young fellows now talk about the veterans! &c &c & cried out in the midst of it--"My God almighty! put some life into this brain ... .. fire into this heart, &c &c to teach these boys &c &c. That is all I have read-- happened on it, & had not the courage to read any more "report"!!--and yet I suppose they mean well. The "Sentinel" I send as a queer agglomeration of lies. The Dem. delight. = How is the blessed darling little Maumee? I hope that miserable trouble is better.--Well. & that in other ways she is mending apace, & growing quite a fiercelittle lion. Dearest dear love & a big kiss to She. = And Dickums? What of her? Give a good report.--Has She any one in her eye?--I hope so for the house. Did she note the change from Lafayette--Crawfordsville. Lafayette now 25th--Crawfordsville 26th--Yesterday came another change (which is an improvement) Fort Wayne is dropped & Elkhark, Ind substituted for Oct. 2. =Love to the 7's & eaps & eaps to Dickums from A R to MyIndianapolis Ind. 9.24.88 Dearest little Dick, I will write a note from Terre Haute. This is just a word at starting to say "all well"-- howdo? & to hope little Mammykin is prospering, Hearts love to her, & 'eaps to Dickums from A Love to the 7's & R to M'y Emma says "me too."9.25.1888 X Danville Junction Dear little Dickey, I had not time to get even a word scrawled at Terre Haute.--Was overrun with the crowd, & had to come a round about way (as X thusly) to get a decent start & escape Crawfordsville. They swore they would hold on to me & make me stay for a reception &c they had arrangedfor today. (I was to have been there tonight) & they wont try it on tomorrow when I am due for the evening, so I escape that.--- = The crowd last night was something fearful & wonderful --& I hope before I get through those dirty Eastern papers will get sick of lying about crowds & me.--of no effect on voters! Of course "the ladies" do come but nobody in the state has begun to haveCrawfordsville Ind 9.26.88 Dear little Dickey, They almost boiled me at Muncie with the tremendous crowd & I took a fine cold. I tell thee as thee will be sure to see I am "hoarse". It is better than it was, & by the time I get a rest at South BendI doubt not it will be well.--Monday night at Terre Haute I was in the Wigwam & it was a noble crowd.--Sooo within & without--listening like mice, but I said I couldn't talk in wigs any more--No more than clean out of doors. Last night at Lafayette the Audience was something booful The place has a very fine opera House & it never was so jammed. I didn't get a chance at a Terre haute paper, & the L. ones are not out till this afternoon but I will get some at Logansport & send them from there.-- =The Dems,--as thee will see are at their old folly.--"Whom the gods" &c. ) his sort of stuff hurts no onebut themselves--& helps me &--for myself personally-- the first real genuine laugh I have had in a long while I had over this "Sentinel" Ed.--as my Com. men tell me I am stirring up the indifferent Republicans & getting hold of young Dems in a way to make the Rebel leaders here sick.--As the "Journal" remarks "It is well",--Clarkson sent me this telegram to-day. All this is a comfort to me, because in myself I have not got fully the speech I want to make.-- The Lafayette "Call" will, I think, have a good synop. of the talk, & I want Barrett to have one. The Journal report was "a terror" & I dont want it copied. It is a regular "Spaulding'sglen-dog" affair. Two legs down, two in the air. The man didn't understand me it would seem, & when he did paragraphs have been cut in two "at large" & stuck together. =The Richmond Register ("leading Republican"?!!) is a poor little sheet--belonging to the Dems, edited by the bitterest kind of a Dem, & "masking" at present as a Prohib. imagine who could have sent it. Did he think it pleased me Anna Dickinson's Brother John. Special to the Indianapolis Journal. RICHMOND, Ind., Sept.22--Anna Dickinson's brother, John Dickinson, learned the printer's trade with the late Hon. David P. Holloway, father of Col. W.R. Holloway, of Indianapolis, in this city, in 1852-4, and went from here to California. He lived with his uncle, Samuel Edmondson, whose venerable widow, "Auntie Edmondson," still lives here. As is her wont whenever here, Anna left her a nice little role of money, perhaps about the same as on her last visit here. Samuel Dickinson was a brother of Anna's mother. =Note the difference in the Sentinel from the 22 to the ed of the 25.-- I had been in Ind. in the mean time & I suppose they found the matter was not an airy one?=I stick in one or two older notices,--&,--if I find them will put by themselves in an envelope one or two of the clippings thee has thee may care to use. I will try to write & send some to Ellen tomorrow. =Tis an exceeding great comfort to hear our darling little Mother is comfortable to a degree, & I hope & pray she will keep on mending a little at a time, till she iscomfortable to two degrees! Dearest dear love & an embrace to She. My love to our next neighbors. Emma wishes "dear love sent to Mother & Miss Susie, & I send eaps & eaps to Dickums from A R to M'y This thing from Richmond annoyed me enough. I can't Logansport Ind 9.27.88 Dear little Dickey, This is only a line--& some clippings. Will try to write a better scrawl tomorrow.--I send some "Calls" because they have the best written notice & the best synopsis of the speech made. TheEditor has brains. Lafayette is not far from Crawfordsville, &c is not far from Logansport, so the rides have not been ill. --had to get away this morning earlier than I cared to. =Our Cousin Wilson called & sent much love to Cousin May &c &c. I will write a little more of her anon. =I do hope our little Motherkin is comfortable, & is growing a bit stronger. Dearest dear dear love to her & a big embrace. Love to our neighbor 7's & Heaps to Dickums from A R to M'y "Emma's dear love"Logansport Ind 9.28.88 Dear little Dickey, So far I wrote at Logansport & then had to stop to see a lot of people & take this up for a line at Wabash.--"Coz." Wilson came to see me & was greatly disappointed that she was not to entertain me. She has I should judge a beautiful home & I was sorry not tobe able to stay with her for she is kindness itself, but if I am to howl in the evening I have to shut myself up by day.--All of her sons came to see me--(4 of her own & a step son) --who is I think the brightest of all & as earnest & sincere a little man as breathes or his face & manner are at fault. He is an active Republican & introduced me in very handsome style.--& was as proud as could be of the business. The Audience was just magnificent --& went mad! =She sends her best & warmest love to Cousin Mary & Sue & had much to ask of them. She says Ellwood has twolovely children & is as cheerful & jolly as ever --& she bought me a box of fruit to carry away with me. =I have not yet my aps after Elkhart. I suppose they will come. =Dearest dear love to Mother & a kiss & embrace. Emma says my dear love to both.--Mine to the 7's & eaps to Dicky from A R to M'ySouth Bend Ind. 9.29.88 Dear little Dickey, This is only a line to say we have just come in here to spend the time till Tuesday.-- In pretty good condition for Saturday night.--Jammed house last night,--fairly good hotel, but one much better here.--I think of my small precious two no end & hope they are prospering muchly.--That my little darling Mammykin is growing a bit stronger & more comfortable, & that Dickey is Fierce. Dearest love to Marmee, & eaps to Dickums from A R to M'y "Emma's dear love." Love to the 7's. I will write tomorrow.South Bend Ind. 9.30.88 Dear little Dickey, What had I to tell about?--The Harrison's &c--Well! They must wait again. --And I told about our people at Logansport (that was the one Dem town they gave me, & of course, I believe I made more uproar there than elsewhere--if that were possible.)--I wish theyhad given me more. As to the Dem papers they are past speech. --All the same they simply amuse me. They are too abominable to hurt me. They serve to advertise!--From the original Ed. (did I or didn't I send it before? 25th) to this is quite mild.--The Chicago Times thing thee must laugh over. --Don't I wish I a good, & fierce little Lion? Does she eat? I kiss her, & send her a great big embrace, & my whole heart. Emma says "send my Dear love home to mother, & a kiss to my little sweetheart, tell her I don't find any other!" Love to the 7's, & eaps & eaps to Dickums from A R to M'yof the right one?-- What of Teacher Martha's visit?--oh,dear! I wish I could make things easier for her, & right all round,--& in a hurry. =What of our dear darling little Mother? Has she got down stairs for one more little prowl?--Is she Wabash from her prescription from "a good woman Dr." as she told me.--I am not mis'able, so don't worry that small-big heart--I am hoarse, but the hoarseness is vanishing, & I have no sore throat. =How is the little midge?--& what of her in every way? & has she any prospect might see the $800 worth of millinery Matthew Quay pays for!! Don't let Maumee know anything about the abuse. ==The house at Wabash was "as usual" & as many more turned away.--My cold is mending.--We came here last evening, & have had a quiet day & I have a med that is doing me good, prescribed by a jolly, fat, dairy woman at --I go to Adrian Mich Wednesday Coldwater Thursday. Do not know if or where I am to speak Friday.--Then I believe to Wisconsin. They seem to have things in a fine snarl!--I will telegraph this evening & more."--I believe the intent is [to] get meback to New-York State by the 15th.-- Dear, dear love always from A Marmee's O kiss.