Anna Dickinson General Correspondence Bullard, Laura C. [1870-75?] & undated84. 2d Place Brooklyn May 24,1870 My dear Miss Dickinson, I have heard so much of you through our mutual friends, Miss Susan B. Anthony & Mr. Theodore Tilton that I have a great desire to know you for myself - When are you coming to New York? Will you allow me to come to see you, or will you come to visit me when next you pass through our city- for we Brooklynites claim New York as our own - & permit me to make your acquaintance? As you perhaps know I have recently assumed the editorial charge of the Revolution & instinctively I stretch out my hand for a reassuring & sympathetic grasp, from the old friends of that paper - Mrs Stanton writes me "when Atlas rolled his load on the shoulders of Hercules, he could not have felt happier than Susan & I do, to be rid of the Revolution" - but what does she suppose were the sensations of Hercules? He meantto do his best no doubt. I did it too, but for all that, I venture to say his back ached a little. Don't think me faint-hearted, if I confess that I have felt a little over weighted by my new duties,- & give me a wee bit of sisterly counsel and encouragement, if you can find it in your heart to do so- The business affairs of the Revolution are now in the hands of a stock company of thorough business men, whose practical knowledge will I hope make the paper a financial success-- Mrs. Stanton & Susan are both stock holders in the new company & Mrs Stanton will still write for the paper. I have already written to Miss Frances Power Cobbe & Miss Emily Faithfull of London & hope to secure their co-operation & contributions. I am telling you all these matters, as if you were not a stranger to me & I do not feel as if you were- but I don't wish [y] to bore you with details. This letter springs from a sudden impulse & longing for your sympathy & I hope you will receive it in the spirit in which it is sent. Let me hear from you soon if only you have time for a word or two & believe me ever most [?]urs, Laura Curtis Bullard -35 East Thirty Ninth Street Sunday Nov 11, 1872 My Dear Anna, Where are you? Mollie says at Philadelphia -- Geri says you are with Mrs. Chatfield - the papers say you are very ill. Do you want me to come & see you? If it would be any comfort to you to have a visit from one who loves you, I'll come & if not, I shall understand & not feel hurt, if you say wait - If you can't write, ask Mrs. Chatfield to drop me a line to relieve my anxiety. Ever yours truly & tenderly, Laura --???? ? 180.-8 -12 ??? ??? 170 35 East 39th St New York- Jan 14, 1872 My Dear Miss Dickinson, I regretted very much that I did not see you when you called here upon Mrs [Maulhon?]; & when we went in pursuit of you to the St James, you were not to be found. I learned afterwards that you were with our sweet Elizabeth Tilton, the dearest little woman as I need not tell you who ever brightened a home - She tells me that you are to spend next Sunday with her, so I asked her if she & Theodore & you would not come and take tea withme on Sunday evening - she replied "yes, if Theodore & Anna will" - Will you then give me the pleasure of seeing you here, & will you ask Theodore to come with you two fair ladies as cavalier? We take tea at 6'o'clock [???] [???] [???]ceremonious - come early & stay late - that is, if you come, - & do come, if you wish to delight the heart of yours admiringly, Laura C. Ballard -33 East 39th W. New York Feb 22d 1872 My sweet and dear Anna Dickinson, Your letters, for Theo, Elizabeth and myself came this morning. I was delighted to hear from you. I was very sorry you could not come on the Sunday you hoped to, and yet I know how many engagements you had and was not very much surprised that you did not get here. Your letters to Theo and Elizabeth are just the thing. You show in them your warmth of heart and your sound sense both very valuable gifts of Nature - of the last I wish she had been more as you can and your friend Laura C. Bullard. I will see to the forwarding of the letters at once. Bye bye. L.C.B.generous to some people we both know. I want you to love me - I am sure I can't help loving you, for I am dangerously near it now, & the most [?] in any case is, that I don't desire to withdraw from the subtle & charmed influence which you exert upon me. Sweet Anna, I want to see you often - why won't you come directly to me, whenever you come to New York - if you make our house your headquarters here, I shall get a glimpse of you now and then, and that will be better than nothing. I am to give a party on March 8th. Is there a chance of you being one of our guests - I shall send you the official invitation as soon as it is offered, meanwhile this is the extra official one. Nelly Hutchinson and I tried to hear Mrs. Woodhull at the Academy the other night, as I had never heard her speak I felt an interest to go - but the crowd was such that even with the aid of a policeman's arm to which , I clung with a desperate tenacity, I could get no seat, so I retired in good order. The house was full of dead heads, some say. If it had been a paying audienceshe would have made a pretty sum. But the crowd was such that tickets even could not be insisted on by the door keepers, so I doubt if the net results corresponded in cash, with the numbers of people present. The daily papers sure chary of notices - The Tribune gave about two lines, the Times not even one. The World was brief - & the Sun & Star were the only ones which gave a half column. The woman is having a desperate hand to hand struggle with the world for a living, for herself & family - I can't help pitying her; though her whole course is abhorrent to my taste & ideas of noble living - Well bye bye - Write me soon & love me always & come as soon & as often33 East 39th St. March 18th 1872 My Dear and sweet Anna D - Don't I wish you were here this blessed minute, that we might sit and chat together and then go out to continue our chatter, in the open air of this clear and lovely day. Your note from Cuba, has just reached me and I obey the impulse which seats me at my desk to reply, with my hair all streaming down my back, for I have not yet performed my morning chignon. But the comb and hairpins can wait till this pen has had its way - for the pen is mightier than the comb anyhow. It was no Lyceum discussion to prove that does it? The party was a success - Bayard Taylor said it was the most elegant one he had ever attended in New York. The table was elegant & spread in the upper story. Mother's bed was taken down & the whole sitting room floor was for the supper room, so there was no crush. People could move in peace without being treaded on trails or trodden upon - Two of the [su?] agreeable men here, were J.Q.A. Ward the sculptor & Prof Rood, professor of Physics at Columbia College. Prof Rood is the most unconvential of men; clean & cultivated & handsome. He has a pretty German wife who was here also. Your admiring & admired W.R. was here, so was John Hay, so was Bret Rastto & Mrs. Clark of Boston, wife of one of the prin of Fields, Osgood & Co. - Lots of other nice people of whom Theodore was not one, as he was & is still at the WestHe writes me that he never had so many social attentions as during this trip but the cloud of columnies he [?] also so thick that they startle him! It will do him good I hope, He will return about the first of April & during that lovely month I hope I shall have the pleasure of seeing in my home & pressing to my heart, a darling girl whom I dearly love, which her name it is Anna E. Dickinson. I really long to see you. I foresee that you are to grow dearer & dearer to me; don't let me be a victim of unrequited affection, but love in return. Yours [?] Laura C. B. 33 East 39th St. New York March 25, 1872 My dear Anna, Our mutual friend Theodore has returned & I gave him your letter yesterday. I also gave Elizabeth hers. Theodore was very much gratified by his part of your epistolary attentions. He is ready, I think, to take your advice. And your cordial interest in him touched him greatly. Poor boy. Life is hard with him just now. He was believed well at the Weston Home [?] Home. He was delighted at the thought. Says he would give his services if he could get into the [?] course. Can you help him to that? He says he will do as you suggest about speaking there. I feel sure that the delivery of that lecture there would do him great service. When & how is it [?] for him to undertake it? Write me at once, what you think about it, And also when I may hope to see you. I long for a glimpse of you. Come columnies of course black & thick as thunder clouds he found there, but people [?] an innate sense of justice heard him [?] his social views & to their great surprise found that he was for purity, not [?}, for monogamy not polygamy. He had favorable notices from the press & I hope the tide has turned. But it will take a long time for him to conquer a prejudice which his [?] nobility, generosity courage & lack of prudence, heave curated. I told him of your idea that he should speak in Philadelphiado come! Theodore talks of going West again, in May probably, as Mr Blair an agent for the North West wants him very much. Between you & me, though I did not ask him, nor did he confess it. I think he sees his error of judgment. He said he should follow your advice & be done with societies, I don't think the women you spoke of will drag him behind their car any more. My lovely sweet girl, good night. I kiss you & admire & love you & am your Laura. [*Excuse my half sheets one of my stupidities to take them & not know it till too late.*] 33 East 39th St April 2d 1872 My sweet & beloved Anna, Your note from Pittsburgh came to me at dinner time & read just after coffee, I am replying to it & you. I long to see you. If you were here tonight wouldn't my heart give a big bound for joy. As you are not, I am going to read novels, Poor Miss Finch & a translation from the Danish. I was bidden to go to a party tonight whether dead or alive, but I am not well enough. You must know I have had ahorrid cold & cough which narrowly escaped being pneumonia, the Doctor said & through G [have?] treatment I got over it, yet it has left me very weak & I dare not go to a crowded room just yet, where some body might & probably would, open a window & let a draft in on me. I send your letter to Theodore with reference to the Star cause & I shall see him soon & be able to send you directly his thanks, which I know he feels or your generous interest in his fortunes. I gave Elizabeth your letter, but I had not a moment to talk with her, nor have I seen her since owing & my [new?] illness; but your letter was just the thing, words fitly spoken which are like apples of gold in pictures of silver Is that quoted right. I am not so well up in my scripture Proverbs as I [aught?] to be, considering my early advantages in Sunday school. When are you coming [on?]? Will you come as soon as you can? What do you intend doing this summer? If you wait till next year, I am strongly tempted to say yes I'll go with you to England. I should like nothingbetter than such a trip with such a darling companion. Anna dear, you don't know how you have found your way to my heart, nor how ardently you are cherished there. I feel as if I had gained a [peach?] of price & meant to wear it proudly on my heart; are you ready to be flaunted in the face & eyes of people, as I [preview?] you, you will be, as my dear girl. Come soon to see me. You are much liked by all the family & much loved by your Laura. I kiss you a thousand times say goodnight 28 Rutland Square Boston April 5, 1872 My [swetest?] of Anna's, Your letter has come & finds me far more cheerful than when you left me. In fact things we most dread do generally prove the least formidable when we approach them, as in the second part of your & my dear Pilgrims Progress the pilgrim found that the lions at the gate id not harm him, so we all find them sleeping or quiet. The lion here roars quietly, but continually but I possess my soul in patiencethanking god that I do not inhabit his [?] [?]. Lou is pretty well. She sends love to you & hopes you liked her as well as she did you. If so she shall be satisfied for that is well enough. The weather is fine - the spring indeed is "etherial mildness" for once- We talk & walk & laugh & grow fat moderately at least. I think Mrs. Lucy Stone should have borne R.B.B's resolution to Cincinnati; if any one did that knows for him. Mother Hooker has written me, all about his approaching meetings in New York, which I shall not be "there to see" I imagine-so I do not worry over them; there are some advantages in being only a high private. Pa Greeley's chances seem looking up in in the Convention. I am going to write Whitelaw Reid in a day or two, to ask him about the Union League business-I shall do it for myself, not for you-you can trust to my tact. I need his help if we undertake the lecture. Mr. Bullard your latest /?/ & most ardent admirer sent me your letter from New York. You are my best friend able rival. Do I notChristian charity in liking, nay in loving you so well myself, under these distressing circumstances. Mother's French maid has suddenly gone back to Europe & when I left the vacancy was not filled, but I suppose by this time her successor has been nominated. I will write you again before I go back to tell you the day & hour of my departure from this model city. Meantime I will tell you that I love you, how much I cant so well set down-Sweetheart, drop me a line & always. Love your Laura-- 35 East 39th St. April 26 1872 Anna, my dearie, My gaping trunk is packed & only waits to be locked & to start with me tomorrow morning. Jamie V. Z.'s husband came over here last night & howled & roared & took her off. He wants the money at once. I hope she wont give into him. Pa & Ma pitched in to him permiscuous so he got a lecture by his call if no more. Poor Pa is half sick with toothache & swelled face & some of us are quite up to the pitch of firstrate physical condition. This the spring which ports praise but which every day mortals dread as synonymous with general lassitude loss of appetite & sick. But I shall be better soon. Nobody is at home just now. W R. has gone to Cincinnati, so has Theo & nobody knows who else. On my return to New York I shall see Mr. [?] & others about the Union League & its fair Quaker. Write me at Boston & tell me "how thee does". I am not so down in the mouth as I was when you left, so don't worry about me. I will write you from Boston that I am jolly & gay, if I am, & I hope to be in spite of Willie dear & his ever present fascinations. Now I will only add one peck that I love you dear, very dearly & am ever your own Laura. All the household send love.Laura 35 East 39th St Monday May 12, 1872 Anna my sweet & dear girl, As you see I am at home again. I wrote Mr. Reid at Cincinnati about the Union League & Aunt Fanny business, but he did not get my note so as to reply to it & I did not know what to say to you until I saw him & some others, because we want success if we attempt anything & to that end we must have co-operation. Well, last night at Mrs Youmans I met W. R. & also Oliver Johnson& consulted both. They say the Union League cant be had less than $100, probably $150 & just now the Greeleyites are not in favor with the club, so they can't help much with influence. Both say its late in the season as we know & Oliver was rather doubtful as to the experiment. Mr Reid did not say much either way. He said it would be best if we attempted it for twenty ladies to take hold of it, but when I asked where are the twenty, he seemed to think I could & ought to find them at once. I shall go to see Abby Patton & ask her advice. Of course without assistance I couldnt get an audience, if no advertisements were put in the papers. Our plan was to have a select & appreciative audience of literary, editorial artistic & dramatic people, but we can't do it alone. & thus far though all say its a good plan, no one seems ready to put shoulder to the wheel. I'll write & tell you what Abby says. Let me hear from you soon. When are you coming on Even if you don't lecture, youcan & must come & visit me & then will see whats best to do. This is a horrid pen & horrid paper & horrid writing. But the hieroglyphics being interpreted are I love you dearly & want to see you & am always yours. [?] Laura. 35 East 39th Street New York May 23, 1872 Anna, my dearie, It is late at night, but I must say one word to you before i sleep, if I can hope for sleep with my son as bed fellow. He has crawled in unbeknownst to me & that means a series of kicks all night long. I cant come to you before the 5th of June for sister Josephine is very sick & mother & I take turns in going over to Brooklyn to stay with her. And as motherHooker is to be at your house on the 5th, that is enough to banish you. But Father says tell Anna to come here to escape the Convention & thus Hooker & so say I & so says mother. Come to me, as I cannot go to you. One of these days I'll repay your visits with interest. Come, come, come. I love you & am your sleepy but [?] Laura.35 East 39th St New York May 31st 1872 Anna, sweet girl, & dearly beloved, I cannot well come to you next week, I do not care for the grant convention either, so you need not think you ought to stay & undergo the Hooker infliction, on the contrary I think you ought to escape it & fly to me. I will go to Philadelphia in the autumn. I am glad to say that sister [?] is, we hope, out of danger, but she is still very ill & has to have [?] injections every two hours to keep her alive, but she can take a littlenourishment in the natural way & does not vomit, as she did. For forty eight hours she has vomited only twice. We shall go to Lay Branch about the middle of June I suppose. The house [?], swept but not yet garnished. That wont take very long though. Mrs Youmans gave a farewell party to [?] Taylor the other night, which was attended by everybody. I wished you had been there with me. Pa Greeley was there serene & happy & I had a long talk with him. I never saw a man more sure of success than he. Theodore had just been to Ogdensburgh &c, to speak for the future occupant of the White House & he had told Pa Greeley that "it would be a hard fight" but I do not think H.G. agreed with him. I do though, don't you? Well dear, I am in great haste & so can only say I love you & want you & hope you will come on for a day or two, at the convention time. Bye bye, Love me always & believe me your own LauraMrs Van Zandt is at her Fathers 1813 Wallace Street. If you get a spare moment go & see her. I write her a letter & misdirected it, I found afterwards, so I must write her another to ask her if she got it. At Mrs Youman's I met Richard Grant White & we spoke of you & I said you had some idea of going on the stage & you wanted a good play. What sort asked he - a melodrama said I & I think he means to try & write one for you, whether he can succeed is another question - again your ever loving Laura bids you adieu. 35 East 39th St New York June 6, 1872 Anna my Sweetest, My sister is better - she sits up daily now & is on the road to speedy recovery. I know you will be glad with us & for us. Virginia Townsend is here with me for a week or so & as Mr Bullard is still in Montreal she has his room, so you should have had your place in my bed had you come, & I am sorry you didn't. Mr Bullard sends you all sorts of loving messages in his letters to me. You [*Poor Mrs Johnson is dying by inches in great agony. We should all rejoice when she breathes her last, which must be in a few days.*]took that luckless man's heart by storm, woe is me, his wretched wife to see herself thus supplanted !! As to [Jenny?] Van Zandt I thought Jim would carry the day his violence & persistence made her glad to get rid of him at any price. It is paying him a premium on general cussedness, which he will not fail to remember & use in future periods of their conjugal felicity. Theodore is off every week for the greater part of it, to speak for Pa Greeley. As you say it looks mixed as yet, but I rather think the Baltimore convention will ratify his nomination. So you have given your Philadelphia sanction to Grant & Wilson. How do you think General Grant liked Sumner's speech. Was there ever such a scathing phillipic uttered within a party against its own representative. Sweet Anna, I shall hope to see you soon & kiss your soft, tender lips, either here or at Long Branch. Mother is very busy buying furniture &c, for thehouse there by the sea & when we get there, about the first of July I suppose, I shall have a half of my bed to offer you. I hope you will be able to come & occupy your place by my side. All send love to you. You must know you are a great favorite with all of our household from grandma & to grandson, inclusive. Byebye. I kiss you & I love you heartily & faithfully & am your own Laura. 35 East 39th St. New York June 8 1872 My sweetest of Anna's, You letter came to me this morning & I reply to it at once, not that I have so much to say, but because my heart turns to you with longing & so my pen as naturally runs towards you also. My Reid was here to see me on Saturday evening, en route from a dinner party to the office. He looks better than he did a while ago. He spoke of you & said he supposed you would be at Mrs [R?] to spend last Sunday yesterday but of course he wasmistaken. He is full of hope for Papa Greeley & says there is no doubt of the ratification of the Cinn ticket of Baltimore. Gabrielle Greeley is lying very ill of typhoid fever at Mrs Cleveland's. She was taken sick on the steamer & as she was all alone, she must have been dismal enough. As soon as she is able to be moved, she will got to Mrs Chamberlain's,- Mrs Greeley & Ida are on the ocean now on their way home. Mrs Oliver Johnson is to be buried today, or rather the funeral services are to be held today at 2 o'clock. She is to be buried in Pennsylvania so Oliver will be able to go to the meeting of the Progressive Friends. Poor woman, it was a happy release for the agony of her last days was terrible & she longed to die. When she would get over the influence of the chloral which she had to take or she could not be kept in the bed, such was the convulsive pain she endured, she would say "oh stop my pulse & let me go!" This evening Father was speaking of you & said he "I like to have Anna here, She just slips right into the family & goes along." That is the perfection of visiting,to become one of the family pro tem. We look forward to your visit to us at Long Branch with pleasure & I hope we can run off to the Mts together later. I am going down to Long Branch tomorrow, but merely for the day, to settle my room & if the intense heat continues, we shall go down for good very soon. Harry is very well indeed & enjoys his pony as much as ever. I shall send to Mr B your messages & rejoice his heart thereby. Well dearie goodbye. I am so glad that I have got you for my darling that I can't find words to express my delight in my new love. Farewell your dear Laura. Summer Rest Long Branch June 18 1872 My sweet Anna, Here we are pretty nearly settled in our cozy cottage & all ready & anxious for a visit from you. Our pictures are still on the floor, but a few hours will hang these & aside from that we are all settled. Can you come to us for a week soon. We will let you dip into the sea, I will take you driving with me in my new basket phaeton & we will let you do as you please, in an unceremoniousunceremonious fashion -you know it already- I hope you can come right away, for you do not care for hotels full of company, that will come later. Just now they are not crowded- but the sea is lovely, the air fine, the room ready for you. say if you can come, or if you prefer to do so later. Let me know frankly which you choose & at once, as I shall ask others, after but not till after I know what best suits you. All send love to you- you are a [prince?] favorite with our people & a darling dear to your own Laura- Address me Long Branch New Jersey-Long Branch Jul 7/72 Anna dearest, Have I written you twice to your once? If so, you must forgive me, for I want to talk to you & I want also to be sure that any remissness in the way of our correspondence in the way of our correspondence is not my fault. In the first place I must tell you I am enjoying this quiet place vastly. For it is quiet, at our cottage, [?] I dare say it is gay enough [*sorry that I shall not see you sooner. But August will soon be here & I shall then kiss my Anna's cheeks & lips. I love her tell her so Your Laura.*]at the hotels. Florence Tilton has just been spending a week with me, & I find her a very nice & bright girl will will grow in mind & thought as the years go on. By the way speaking of Tilton, makes me think of Pa Greeley. What are you going to do? It seems to me the best national policy is that which buries the hatchet & with it all the animosities of the late civil war. It is time that education & principle & enlightened patriotism took the lead at the polls in the South & that carpet baggers & their legislation should be abolished. This I hope for [?] Pa Greeley's election by the new coalition. It is the only question of public interest that is of sufficient importance to enlist my sympathies. Mr Greeley is a great woman, but he is no idol of mine, yet I should vote for him at this crisis, if I had a vote, alas. How long shall we women have no powerto make ourselves felt in our countrys councils. I want you to speak, not only for Greeley because of patriotic motives, but because of the woman question. It seems to me that men will be sooner aroused to the injustice of denying us the franchise, by the sight of such a woman as you aiding & swaying an election, than in any other way. It is such a patent crying sin against a woman to ask her cooperation in carrying forward an election & yet refusing her the ballot. Well byebye. I love you dearly & am Long Branch July 9, 1872 Anna, my darling, I got your letter tonight but I had already written & mailed an epistle to you before yours reached me. Never mind, I want you to do something to please me, so I write you again. Louise Moulton is coming here July 16th, & I want you & Pa Greeley & Col Hay & Theodore & W. R to come & spend the next Tuesday July 21st withme. It is only 2 hours journey from Philadelphia & you need not stay any longer than Sunday, if you are so busy. Run on for the Sunday & then come again later, for your visit. I have written to Theodore & W K. by this mail & await the replies of all of you with interest. I hope you can call come just for my Sunday. I should like you en masse, & afterwards I should love to have my darling Anna all to myself. Write & say you will come just for one little day of rest. Love me so much & as truly as I do you & that will satisfy me & I am not easily satisfied in love, I can tell you. Yours ever Laura. All the family send love to you. You have won all their hearts, alas my liege lord's among them! Wo is me!Long Branch- Sunday July 14 1872 Anna, my Beloved I was delighted to receive your letter & learn that I am to see you so soon. I should have replied by return mail, but Mother has been very sick of cholera - morbus & I was so busy giving her medicine every hour & waiting on her generally that I had no time to write anyone. She is better now & sits up & will be all right in a [*another four years of Grant - Well bye bye - I love you, & long to see your bonny face & feel your sweet kiss, my satin skinned beauty Your ever Laura*]day or two. She has these attacks every summer as regularly as the hot season comes. I shall know on Tuesday who & how many are to be here to meet you & as soon as I have I will write you. So you may expect a letter from me on Wednesday night or Thursday morning, if the postmaster sees fit to forward it. I think he is rather a slow coach, as it took one of my letter three days to make New York, a distance of two hours. Be sure & come, I shall be greatly disappointed if you dont get here. Don't go for to break my heart. When I see Reid, I will [?] him about you & see if he is offended. I'll do it gracefully, never fear. So you are in love, are you? Well tell me all about it, & the lucky man & I will tell you whether I will give my consent or not. But, ohmy love, be sure you're right before you go ahead into the gulf of matrimony. How comes on your book? And on what subject is it? I am reading German, & French & Haitian a little & Shakespeare a good deal & not doing what I ought to, my work on my half finished novel. I saw Senator Wilson last night on his way to North Carolina on a stumping tour. I wish it were not so hot for the poor man. I don't wish him defeat, but I don't want Long Beach Thursday July 18th/72 My Anna, I have just returned from New York, where I found that Horace Greeley will not stay away from Chappaqua during the canvass on Saturday's & so he must be here. Theodore has gone to Maine so he can't be one of us. Whitelaw Reid is to be in Long Branch, but at Mrs Phelps, one of the N.Y. aristocracy, but he willcall here. John Hay will come & Louise is here, so you see whom you are to be dependent on for your pleasure. I write in great haste to catch the mail. Mother is better; Father took his turn then & now he is better. I send you love unmeasured give me in return of your affection, as I know you do. My dearie, I did not think you actually in love, but I will tell you when I see you, what made me think, under your gisting [sic] words there might be one grain of seriousness, & I do so hate the idea of marriage, as it now exists, though I believe in true marriage, with all my heart, that I said what I did not so much for your present need, as for some future temptation. Don't let Mr Wilson beguile you, [?]he [?] so sweetly. I sort of think its best if you do go into politics & (how can you keep out) to go in pretty early for H.G. Byebye, I love you always & most tenderly & am your Laura. Summer Rest Long Beach July 28/72 My Anna dear, Louise is off driving Mr Reid who is here spending Sunday, so I take the few minutes I have alone to scratch off a few words of love to you. Mr. Reid is evidently all right with you, he swallows the letter you wrote him as a sweet morsel & it agrees with him. He told me that Col Hay was very much fascinated with you! A piece of news to me, of course Mr. Nasby is at one of our friends houses here for the Sunday, a Mr Henry's & I chanced to see him today. He saw Fanny [?] last week he says & I guess he is in the toils still, by the great delight he took in talking of her charms to me. I want to as you one think which I want you to answer frankly. It is this, when we go together to the White Mts, the very last of this month of the first of September, I had thought of inviting Elizabeth Tilton to go with us & then I thought perhaps you might not like it. Not having her along, would spoil your pleasure. Now I have not said one word to her about the plan & if you would prefer ever so slightly not to have her go, just tell me & I will hold my peace to her. If you would not object it, I will ask her to go & stay one week at the Mts, & go with us to the Profile &c. We can stay longer. Now say truly & frankly as you would to your sister whether you think this would be a foolish scheme. The little woman has been at home all summer & I thought the change& rest would do her good. But first I wont have our trip spoiled & if this would spoil it I can take her afterwards somewhere just as well. I love you Anna & talk freely to you as to a sister, Anna & in the same way. Fanny Van Zandt has gone to Europe after the children whom her husband never went near during his trip over, for the express purpose of living with them! Well byebye. In haste but with love your Laura. Write it [?] my sweet girlie. Long Branch July 31. 1872 Many thanks my Anna, for the promptness & frankness of your reply. Your mountain trip shall not be so much as shadowed by the presence of the little woman who wearies you. I know how that sometimes happens [?] when one rather likes the person who nevertheless tires one. I had not nor shall I propose to her to go with us to the hills. Now then what about Pinkie Lou. Do you feel that her presence would be [?]If so she will go & spend the week before you come. Tell me as frankly about this. She has only one week to give to the Mts if she goes & I could go a week sooner, or I could have her after you had been there with me. Probably earlier would be better for her & then I could return with you. If you prefer me & me only, as a companion during your rest say so. & you shall have me. If you don't mind Lou's week say that. I will write you what day, & whether the last of August or first of September is best for us after I hear from you. I thought about going to Springfield the 29th of August to meet Lou & she would be [?] [?] en route & at the Mts for one week in all. You could join me at Littleton New Hampshire the night of the 4th of September & she would depart the 4th or 5th in the morning for Boston. Tell me at once what you think of this, or if you don't like the scheme. I love you, I do, & am yours in great haste, for we goto New York in an hour to see Pa Greeley. Laura. Reid did gulp & I am glad of it. I want you to keep him on the right side, for he is a good friend & a good enemy when he dislikes anyone. Yours Laura Summer Rest Long Branch June 29. 18[?] My dearie, Your letter has just come & I make haste to reply to it. First Louise and & went up to hear Kate Field read at Theodore Thomas' benefit. She looked very pretty, in a cloud of exquisite white muslin & lace, & was very graceful, but the room was too large & its open windows made it like speaking in the street or in a field. O try to be heard then. Nobody scarcely could have filled that [*Your own Laura Did you know Brooke had left the Tribune. He has & gone in another paper. [?] [?] Your loving Laura*]has proved too much for even his unparalleled forbearance & whether for better or worse he has at last spoken out. But as I am so far away & have not seen Elizabeth since this letter was published, I do not know what will be the result or how it will affect her mind. As to [?] [?] her I cannot even guess how he will take it, or what [?] he will adopt, so far the papers say that he will barricade himself in silence & I [?] whatever his cause may be his church will sustain him. room with the voice & Kate didn't. But her conception of the poem was good, & those who were near enough to hear it, liked it. I am sure. She certainly looked young too, still I think such readings are of no particular value as a test probably stage success. As to the latest developments in TT's case, there is nothing behind the scenes. The truth is simply as he puts it in his letter, that goaded to desperation by long misrepresentation the doings of which was by Bacon's articles he [?] out. The long strain Pa & Ma are both very well. The change of air has done both of them good. Louise "decries to be remembered" she says "to the faithless fair who condemned her without judge or jury." You do not speak of your trip abroad. You have not given it up, have you? [?] our [?] French maid is very anxious to go over with you. She is [?] [?] & she would go for her passage or half of it & wait on you. I write this at her request though I dare say she would not be useful enough to you for you to want her. [???]Monday Morning Aug 17th 1874, My dearie, Your note has caught my here at the Branch, but just as we are packed up & ready to flit, this afternoon for New York. We halt there for two or three days to repack for the White Mts, where we shall first stop at the Fabyan House. The length of our stay among the hills depends wholly on the effect the air has on Pa's cold, & the amount of patience, he has in staying there. The latter, entre vous is very doubtful. He is too uneasy a man I fear to give the mountain air a fair trial & if he gets fidgetty we shall return at once to 39th St. I will write you & let you know, if we scamper back. I have not the least doubt I shall be back to go with you to see Clara Morris open & Ishall be only too glad of your company. And now for your queries, first premising that I thought you the delinquent in letter writing, & have been expecting a missive from you daily for some time past. As to Jenny Van Zandt, she is now in London, her address is care H. C. Gallup, 493 Oxford Street London. Her plans are not yet fully matured. There is some talk of a Russian engagement, a little of [?] reentering the musical field & if so, her chance is good with him, & also the Kellogg troupe manager has sent & dispatch about her engagement. Among all these openings & negotiations, nothing is yet decided & so of course her return here is not yet a matter about which she or we [?] [?]. Father is soon to see Hess. Kellogg's [?] & it will depend on times &c, whether she comes back or stays over there this season. Kate Field is in miserable health. The [?] dined here yesterday & said during the last week he had called on her three times in the evening and every time she had gone to bed; the last time he called, she sent word for him to come in early, as she wanted to see him, but as she was sick had to retire at early hours. I do not like the tone of your letter about your health. It seems to me bad [?] that frequent "wiggle of your special nerve." What of the Chicago adorer? Is his chance growing small by degrees & beautifully less. You know I hate to have you throw such a love & such a man away from you. Is it hopeless for you to be happy under his strong protection & in his stronglove? Well dear, I must finish packing. Is not this battle of Theodore's an awful fight, & was ever such an onslaught as B's on Franklin. I want to hear the retort and courteous I imagine of F, under [?] Brother's guidance. If there is such a thing as justice on earth, Theodore will triumph in this contest, but is there any justice? That I wait too to discover. I love you & shall delight to see you & kiss your lips & hear your voice once more. Ditto JR I hope your mother's state gives you less anxiety. We are all well, old & young, little & big & I am always & forever your true friend Laura P.S. John Hay is in the retired [?] for a while, trouble, his eyes. It is serious too, I fear. Long Branch Aug 3d 1872. My dear Anna, Good girl & sweet friend. Do you know how nice it is, to see your big parchment missives. Well it is very nice. And I count on your mountain sojourn with me as one of the most charming of things to come to me. So I shall expect you by the 4th or 5th of September at Littleton, New Hampshire & then we will stay there or drive about as suits your ladyship. I shall be absolutely at your service. Takeme & do with me as you please, only don't get sick of me after you have squeezed the orange of my nature! Louise & I saw Papa Greeley the other day. He beamed on us with a wild & steady radiance & gave us his photograph with his autograph underneath. North Carolina surprised & delighted me! I did not count on that. Poor Henry Wilson's sweat & toil was all in vain. Pa Greeley spoke of you & said you did seem at first ready to go in an [?] but now you were not so well disposed. We said yes you were, but you earned your living & wouldn't speak without good pay in the hot weather when you needed rest. He said he had authorized you to be offered good (I am not sure he did not say almost any price) but I am not quite sure. Louise says if you should happen to get to Littleton the 29 or 30 of September she shouldn't be sorry to see you. Be sure & make your arrangement to meet me as soon as the 4th or 5th. Emily Faithfull the English lecturer & writer is coming over & will halt for a breathing spell at our house. She will be here the 1st of October. I have your messages to Pa & Ma both are well & both love Anna the fair. I send you love, love, love. I am sorry your Mother is not strong & hope she will be better as the weather grows cooler. Are you up to your eyes in work. I am not surprised at her [?] [?] love in [?] age Goethe did you know. With love Laura Long Branch Aug 9, 1872 My dear Anna, I ought not to write you today, for I have a headache, a rare thing with me & I shall be dull, I am sure but I want to send you a but from my heart rather than from my brain & so I'll risk it, if a stupid letter goes to you, have with it for the sake of the affection it carries in its folds. Nelly Hutchinson is here for a few days. She looks weary,& is, I am sure, but who does not get tired sometimes. We all get rested too after a while. Let that console us. There is a whole eternity to rest in (I'm afraid such a long rest will be awfully tiresome) (but will try & make the best of it if it is). What about the campaign. You seem very much troubled with pros & cons. I have told you all I feel about it in a former letter. Nasby whom I met the other day didn't want you to go in, but he is a Grant man. To do him justice though he said his interest in the matter was wholly personal to you. For he thought political speeches would lesson your power to gain hearers & money as a lecturer in the winter. Is that a danger? I do not know for sure. If I thought you could be injured pecuniarily why that would change my views about the advisability of your speaking for Greeley. But it doesn't seem to me that there is any such danger. Your former political work did not injure you did it & Theodore says his political work inMaine would only bring him larger audiences for lectures of a different sub. He has made a great success there. God bless him! Elizabeth has gone with him to Maine. I hope it will be a good thing for her & for him. Well dear goodbye. I love you. "Pinkie" sends love. She leaves me early next week. Bye bye, ever your Laura Drop me a line often. Pa & Ma send love. Long Branch Aug 26 1872 My dearie, What do you think I have to tell you? Nothing less than the news that Father, Mother & Mary the maid sailed for Europe in the German steamer Main on Saturday last at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. They did not think of going till 1/2 past 9 in the morning, packed & were off by the 1030 train from Long Branch. Got money & the engineer's state room & were off at 2 o'clock. They wanted me to go, but as they [*genius for friendships with men [?] but I am not one whom many men love. Sweet Anna I love thee. Love thy Laura in return & come to her soon. I kiss you goodbye.*]will stay only 6 or 8 weeks I did not think they really needed me enough to make it worth my while to cross the ocean twice in so short a period & to give up my mountain trip & the sight of my boy, to say nothing of losing your & Loulie's company. Father's peach fever which came on him ferociously & gave him no rest day or night drove him off. He will get rid of it at sea & be free from it in Paris & return better fitted for the winter. So you have given up Maine. Well, so be it. As you say it wont hurt Theodore no matter how it turns, but I believe in Greeley's star & though just now there is a lull, the tide will rise again. I leave New York Aug 29 for Springfield. Loulie joins me at the Massasoit House so does Oliver Johnson, & we three go up to Littleton N.H. the 30th. Oliver goes at once to Peacham, VT. Loulie & I run about for a week at the Mts. She will leave for home Sept 4th or 5th. So do you come to me at once after she leaves & we will stay quietly or run aboutas suits us both when we meet. I shall stay till the 1st of October & perhaps later. It will depend on how the house in 39th Street gets on & how the weather is at the Mts but till the 1st I shall stay anyhow. i shall be at Thayer's Hotel Littleton for head quarters. Write me there as soon as you get this & tell me when you will come. These above are my plans. You can do with me as you choose when you come. And now dearie, goodbye & am dying to hear of your summer trip & its doings. Nobody has made love to me. Nobody does. I have a35 East 39th St New York Oct 5. 1872 Annie, my Beloved, Your note has just come- I find you are not to speak till the 15th. All the better for the house settling &c, but I am impatient see you- It is very provoking to have the people one loves, live so far from one that only chance glimpses bless one's eyes. But then I am glad of a little. I love my Anna & I hate all treachery & meanness. I said my say pretty plainly on that themeto my interviewer I can tell you. Well, let it all go till we meet. I hope now to lick Miss Faithfull's bedroom into shape tonight, but at one time it looked as if I should have to hang her up on a peg (it would have to be a big one to hold her) when she came. A Bureau man has been here to see her & she will have a fine introduction to American doings by deciding at once, to which of the two Bureau's she has coquetted with, she will finally give her hand. I cant help her to decide for I know nothing of business of that sort. Nelly has just dropped in for a moment. It rejoices me to see how cheery she is getting to be. Let us be gay if the heavens fall & Papa Greeley is not elected. But Reid thinks he will be, & I trust he is right. You were wise not to send the letter. Let him come at least two thirds of the way. He'll do it, fast enoughI am glad you are so busy and so happy in your work- I must [?] [?] to buy furniture etc, to make this place habitable. But it wont be quite right, till Pa & Ma get home. Bye bye. In haste but with love yours, Laura C. Bullard 33 East 39th St. Oct 30th 1872 Anna my love, I have sent to you two letters which came for you after you left. I hope they will reach you in time for whatever is needed to be done. The reception to Miss Faithfull full had to be given up. As she had been engaged to Chicago for the 12th and 16th of November. She leaves me for Miss Hillard's on Saturday next and remains there a week and there goes [?]. Her reception will be postponed till her return, and that is as yet an unknown fact. ButI shall want to see you, all the same, so if you can come & tarry with me over Sunday as you thought you might. Father & Mother sailed yesterday for home & I trust they will have a good passage. We are impatient to see them of course. The horses are still disabled & recovery is a slow process. Poor Miss Faithfull is sick again, has had a sleepless night from asthma & has not been down stairs to her meals today. The Doctor is with her now. Theodore speaks in New Hampshire all this week. I do hope that state will go for him, that is for Greeley. Nelly is quite pouty over Mrs. R's criticism & I confess it seems to me uncalled for as well as unjust but as love dictated it, its motive must & will I suppose be its all-sufficient excuse. I write in great haste & interrupted by coughing for that annoying hack still holding fast to me. And now sweet girl adieu. Be a good child& come whenever you can to your Laura. Remember me to your sister Susan & give my love to your sweet mother. Byebye L.C.B. 35 East 29th St. Nov 6th 1872 Well my darling, it is over at last, the long long agony & the worst has come. It mortifies me that even New York [?] against H.G. But such is life & such it is to belong to the party of the future. I enclose to you a slip cut from the Boston Past. I should have sent it earlier but I thought you were coming on to be photographed. Emily is at Brooklyn just now, but please write the letter you spoke of to her & send them to me. I will see that she gets them. Today Theodore called. He had heard nothing of the Woodhull attack till he got home. It was as you may suppose a terrible blow. Such base ingratitude is something beyond the comprehension of ordinary mortals, but there are people who never forgive you the favors you have done them, especially if you do not continue to sacrifice yourself in their cause, more especially if you have found them out as unworthy of past, present, or future sacrifices in their behalf. I write in great haste for I am going over to Brooklyn. Poor Elizabeth, dear, weak little woman; my heart bleeds for her. Slanderers & bitter tongues are hard for strong men & women to stand against, & for her, it will be harder still. Well dear, the Lord bless the right & [?] the truth in his own good time, say I only [?] His time come swiftly. I love thee my sweet girl. Come soon to thy Laura. Mrs. Stanton denies point blank all that V.C.M. chargesupon her in the matter. 35 East Thirty Ninth Street Saturday Nov 24, 1872 My dear Anna, The day I was to go to see you at your rooms, Harry was taken suddenly & severely ill. It frightened me about to death & I forgot everything else. I forgot even that it was the day I was to call on you, or I should have sent you a note of explanation. The child could not breathe & I found congestion of the lungs; he [?] Dr. [?] [?] whom I sent for, said it was only asthma & bronchitis! Bad enough but not as bad as the lung trouble. Harry has been confined to his bed but is new up & dressed though he does not go out yet. Still he will soon be well again. Father is better a great deal. All the rest are well. Give my love to Mrs Chatfield & come to see me, both of you. I like Mrs C. very much. She shows the noble qualities of loyalty & steadiness of affection. & I am glad you are with her. Giver her my love. I have my autumn cough, but it is not very bad. I have not seen Frank Carpenter lately. Love to yourself in large measure from Laura Dr [?] has gone to Springfield to see Sam Bowles, partly as a friend, more as a doctor. 35 East 39th St Dec 29, 1872 My dearest of Anna's, When am I to see you? Cant you come on to the Faithfull Reception Jan 25th, a Saturday night & cant you say a word or two at that occasion. It is to be given in [?] Hall, I think. Poor Emily is going home soon! She is half dead with asthma here & cannot stand the weary fawnings & fan fare of our country, as she attempts to go up & down it. So she will go to Washingtonlove you & long to see you & am always your own true friend, Laura & Boston & then return to England. [?] is going home. I doubt if he made the money or the sore of reputation he cared [?] - I do not see or hear of Yates & Mr. Donald. After this, I doubt if foreign lectures come over here as plentifully. Your labor lecture was a splendid effort. It is full of anger of good sense of wit & it delighted me. This is simply the truth, as if I wrote it to a third & indifferent person. Well dear goodbye, I35 East 39th St. New York Jan 13th 1873 My Darling Anna, You and I once moved at about the same time to write each other for I [?] to 1710 Locust a letter the other day. a wail over your silence. I know you love me & you know I love you. I dont think you quite know how much I love you though, for I have a most unhappy lack of expression, but I am not only tender but true. And now for the answers to your catechism. First there as to the "where are you?" I reply at homeas to the "what are you" I have to confess that of late I have been most miserably depressed. I have coughed a good deal o' nights, it has told upon my nervous system. Our house has been full of my sister & family six in all, three boys, two of the latter have gone back to Swarthmore College & we have relapsed into a calm that is wonderful after the storm. I have, alas, no lover, new or old, to be "all devotion & exactions" I was very sorry not to see you on the 17th but I know perfectly well that it was not want of inclination but want of time that held you away from me. It was my misfortune, not your fault, my dearie. I do not know your Miss Gould, but I am ready to accept your verdict of her that she is "altogether lovely." As to the Faithfull Reception, it is to be at Steinway Hall & on the 25th Saturday evening. We have the big boys on the committee & it will be a fine affair. Mrs. Henry M. Field makes the speech of welcome, & Miss Emily a speech on work. We sit on the platform, where I do wish you could be. Street dress & hat are the thing for costume. If you come a short ten minutes address from you would be jolly. The workpeople women are to be bidden in large numbers, as soon as the invitations are printed I will send you one. Miss F is now at Gerritt Smiths. She leaves the 6th for Auburn, Syracuse [?] & Albany visiting in each place friends and relatives of the Smiths. She will get here somewhere about the 25th & goes to Washington Jan 28th. [?] for this engagement for her. I may go on to W. with her but that is not sure. I wish you would have on send me as well as her, letters of introduction to Mrs. Pomeroy, & Mr. Sumber & any one else in W. you think would be desirable for me to have. When I see Miss F. I shall know why & wherefore she got into the wrong set of strong minded (if she did) in HI. I know nothing of sets, I only know that so far as my acquaintance with the strong minded goes, they are all equally effusive to good taste & I have to buckle on the armor of radicalism to enable me to withstand their disgusting views & general cussedness, whether they be of New York or of Boston. That's a solemn & awful fact! I have sent to Miss F, Sue's invitation. I doubt notshe will be most happy to accept. I think Feb sometime will bring her to Philadelphia. I hardly think I shall be with her there, but I may. I "have been" nowhere, I "have seen" nobody, but I am no longer going to repose (as I have done) every invitation to private or public reception & party. So you see I begin to feel a little less depressed. I had a large number of friends to call on me on New Years, but neither Mr. Reid or Col Hay or Mr Brooks or Mr Ward were of the number & I do not know why they were absentees. Perhaps because I am not one of their ceremonious acquaintances, they mean to come soon & see me in a more satisfactory way. Thanks dear love for your New Years wish, I have alas (who has not) some "special wish or longing hunger or thirst unsatisfied" but I dare not hope that your desire that such "may be fed & filled to fullest content & delight" may or can be fulfilled. Thank you all the same for the loving desire, which if it could, would, I am sure, bring me all it asked for me. I have abundance "ofthe meat that perishates" & some of that which does not, in the love of such rich souls as my Anna. God bless her & God be thanked for giving me to me. So let me be grateful for what I have & not repining for the absence of some things which might not satisfy, if I had them. All send love to you. I hope you will get here for the reception. I long to see you. Love to Susan & to your good mother from Anna's friend. Laura C. B. Pa & Ma & Mr B & Harry are well & send love & New Year's greetings.35 East 39th St Saturday March 1. 73 My dear Anna, Mr Banks was here last night to dinner with Ward the sculptor & Mr Clarke & Mr B said Mrs Runkle was very greatly troubled about the effect of that article on your mind. She meant it was a compliment it seems & Mr B said Reid rather hesitated about putting it in, the paper was so full, but he said to [?], well it comes from so valued a correspondent & itwill serve a friend Miss Anna, so I will [?] it in. So you see Reid meant it all right if somebody else did it. Mr Brooks says Mrs R has written you four sheets of explanation so no doubt you know all this & more. I said I was glad if she had cleared it up to you because it hurt you coming from one you thought your loving & true friend. Well enough of that. now for biz. Mr Holme wants to know if sometime in April you will give a lecture in his church, choose your own subject & time & let them know. They can only afford 100 dollars, as they are poor & they want to raise some money to help their church along. You have [?] the good [?] here. They want to know as soon as possible, as they mean to begin to sell tickets etc early so as to have a good [?] & make it pay. I write in great haste but with love, love, love in large [?] from allespecially your Laura. Emily goes to England the 5th of April. She is off today for Boston Cruise etc & I do not think she will get to Philadelphia to lecture again. 35 East 39th St March 21st 1873 My dearest Anna, Your long-desired letter came at last a day or two since & I at once let Mr Holme know of your plan. He said if you could come in May 6th 7th or 8th, it would not be too late. but if you could not give him one of those days it would be. Please let me know at once if you can. I hope so for I want to see my girlie. So much for business, I am glad you were so successfulin the [?] - but you always are. It was nice to see more of Mr Waterson for he is such an agreeable gentle man. Your notices were first rate. I told Theodore what you said about his editorial & his face beamed all over. Your praise & affection are very sweet to him as to what son of man would they not be? Emily & [?] are now at F Moultons in Brooklyn where they are enjoying themselves hugely. They sail April 5th for home. She gave a reading last night at Steinway Hall, but she had no audience on account of the storm I suppose. We of the Platform ticketeers, went down into the auditorium & made an audience "fit through [?]" Louise Moulton is here now & we are "enjoying of ourselves" as you may imagine. Louise says you "are a miscreant as you have neglected her all winter but as she is a saint she forgives you & sends you her best love". [?] V. Z willbe here soon as she is to sing at Steinway Hall - She has a hard time poor girl - but she has a brave & light heart in her bosom - I am going to have a few friends here to night - 20 or 25 to meet Louise - I wish you were to be of the number. Pa & Ma are well & Anna will be a most welcome guest to all this household when she comes. She is dear to each & every one of us & especially so to her loving & true Laura 33 East 39th St April 22nd 1876 Anna my dearie, It has seemed an age to me since you wrote me till a day or two since your letter floated like a waif from the far West to me - I had not dared to write you, for fear you would be content with hearing from me & in your busy life would let the days slip by without sending me a line if I wrote you more than two to your one which was to state of affairs when you kept such an obstinate silence But I ought not to have kept [*you can to your loving friend here [?] ? [?] is you Laura.*]any record of debt & credit at all, since I was how ill the winter has served you. I know you are weary of journeyings oft & bad beds bad food, bad fortunes have left you very little dearie for letter writing. Now I wish you could exchange the lecture field for another more congenial & more tolerable for human nature. It is enough to kill one to have to go through many such winter campaigns. I have made the acquaintance of a Mr Watrous, who knows all the actors &c. He is a sort of father protector to Miss Jenette & he knows Clara Morris well & Daly & Fanny Morant & all of them. He is a wealthy Californian & I am sure will take an interest in you & help you to forward your plans if they still had stage ward. When you come on I will ask him & his wife here to meet you & you will then take him by storm I'm sure as you always do the masculines & he will be your devoted slave to command. Fanny Edwards has been here & I am going to see if she has left town. I hope I shall find her still here. Lou has goneback to Boston & Mr M was more decent than usual. Virginia Townsend & Jenny Van Zandt are now here, I hope you will give us a peep at you before long. I have lots to talk about, but not so much to write. I was very glad to hear you say that Theo will be allowed to earn his living on the platform again. I hope it is true & that your good wishes are not ahead of the general public's opinion of him. He is working hard but looks well & he always speaks of you with admiration & tenderness. When shall we see you Do write at once & come as soon as 33 East 39th St April 30th 1873 My dear Anna, Your letter from the frozen regions of the North has at last reached me. I am glad you still live to tell the tale of the horrors of this past winter. It has indeed been fearful & it is a wonder it hasn't used you up altogether. We jog on after the old fashion Jenny Van Zandt is here now on a visit & so is Virginia Townsend. Louise is in Pompet again for a week or two. The lastthing of especial interest is Fechter's reappearance. I went to see him in Monte Christo on his opening night. What a house he had. That Grand Opera House was crammed from parquet to dome. And all the best people were there of all sorts, artistic, literary & [?] The press from Joseph Howard Jr, & Theodore were there in force. Kate Field, Grace Greenwood & a host of others more or less celebrities. When he appeared he had a perfect ovation. Cheer upon cheer greeted him, but the play is not one in which he can show his powers to the best advantage, & the proof of this is that when the curtain fell on the last act, he had no recall. He did have recalls & applause all through up to that. But the play was long & tedious, & the interest flagged. He is always fine, but he was not in his highest mood. He looks very fagged as it he had been drinking & disipating a good deal. Lizzie Price played Mercedes, & did it better than I expected. But I don't see her beauty. Sheis fine looking, in a course & animal way & that is all. Alas for that Samson to fall into the hands of such a Delilah. Theodore is well. Have you seen the latest developments. Kinsella of the Brooklyn Eagle & Bowen are in a deadly feud & Kinsella got hold of a letter which Theo proposed for a lawyer's use at the time of the broken contract of Bowen's & his T's, expulsion from his editorship of the Independent & Union. It sets Theodore right in the public esteem & puts Bowen in the attitude of a foiled slanderer of Mr Beecher-- 5 It is a long story & I cannot rehearse it all now. Theodore does not know how Kinsella got the letter. K says Theodore did not furnish it & how it was obtained is an editorial secret. But at all events, it will do Theo good. It has already, & he is more cheerful of course, relieved from the heavy pressure of public disesteem & unjust contumely. I hope he has got near the turning in his long lane. When shall we see you here. We all long to. Theodore was very pleased withyour kindly message to him. His face beamed & glowed all over with delight as I read it I hope your St Louis law suit will not annoy you much-- What fools there are in this world--It’s a wonder it wags on so well even as it does-- To-night I am going to a concert with the two Jennies & Bullard & Harry--It is for the benefit of little Miss Varian, who wants to go to England to finish her musical education-- My new friend Mr Watrous who knows everybody in the dramatic line will be on hand as soon as you make your appearance, ready to act according to your behest-- He tells me, he will be your Devotee--See if I am not a true prophetess-- I enclose a slip from Jo Howard's paper about Fechter-- it is the truth & none of the other papers have dared to say it-- I long to see you & love you always but now I mustRun & get ready for the concert. Always and truly yours, Laura - 33 East 39th St New York May 13, 1873 My dearie, I was greatly disappointed the other day to learn from Theodore that you had been in New York but only stayed long enough to change trains. I had somehow got it into my head though you did not say so, that you were going to make a little halt at our house & and take water after your May campaign upon going to Philadelphia - But I suppose the yearning for Mother. grew too strong as you mand home to allowyou to tarry on your way to her - But now you are at home, what are your plans? How about the stage &c - Where is the ice to be broken through first - if it is to be broken at all - We shall be in town for a little longer up to the very last of May or 1st of June. - The boys & their families will be back by the 3d of June & Pa & Ma want to go to Long Branch & be settled by that time. The settling doesn't take long, for in move only [are] trunks & straighten up the things that have [?] all writers in shelves & in rooms - Jennie Van Zandt & her little girl have been here for some weeks & are now in Rutland VT where Jennie sings at a [?] - Parefa Rosa has cabled across an offer for her to join her campaign in London. But the terms are not yet agreed upon & Jennie doesn't know yet whether she shall accept or not. She has various nibbles at her book - I guess this year will be a better one for her than the last - Virginia [?] is here too on a [wee] visit, writing on a history of Elizabeth for a Methodist publishing HouseWednesday Morning June 5. 1873 My Dear Anna, I write a line & also forward a letter to you, as it may be of importance. Last night [?] & I went to see Fechter in the Corsican Brothers - He never looked handsomer nor played better; but it was not a large house, only so-so - I [enclose] a slip cut from the World about the rebuilding of the globe - It will be all right for you I am sure. I have not seen Mr But don't think there isn't a half of my [?] at your service & there's always a bit & a [sup]. I wish you would run on, if only for a day or two, or do prefer to come to us at the Branch - There's plenty of time to make me a weeks visit - [?] [?] move & you can move your trunk too in the general [plenary] - When shall you come to me I love you always & am always right glad to see you. Lauri is in Boston where all is much as usual - no better & it could scarcely be worse. Write me soon. Tell me your plans as I have rehearsed mine & love me always L[*I love you & say goodbye- Yours Laura*] [*[?] [?] [?] [?] of the Globe Theatre in Boston [?] [?] [?] that the rebuilding shall not be done at once*] Watrous or Mr Scoby again They sent you a paper with Mr. Burber's card & Kinsella's editorial. What do you think of both -- good for you I think. Pa & Ma are happy at the Branch & prince & I are happy here-- but I shall go down the last of next week, I guess. If you can do go to see Fechter Wednesday instead of Monday it will suit me a little better, but after all it does not matter much, so suit your own convenience after all.Long Branch- Monday June 16th 1873 My Anna, I send you this morning a photo of the [Knight] of the tawny fleece, as he requested me to do - I did see him twice or three times before I left - as I was at Sister Jote's & he called. He talked of you and your future plans & neither he nor I made any allusion to his medical attentions - He only told [Theo], he dined at the Union League Club, that night of our last stay in New York + I said Amen - He [won't] like to have [Theo] knowindirectly if his new friendship so I shall not speak of it, if he doesn't, to him or to any one else - [Theo] asked me if I was falling in love with you. I said I did not think a sick headache [sets] inevitable consequences calculated to spite the tender passion though I had known of peoples falling in love with her, & we laughed & there an end - Jennie is here & Missie, her little girl. Pa & Ma are well & so am I. My nose is blooming with the kisses of the sun & is not [?] thereby - Have you as yet no word from Cheney? I do not know which of the [?] [?] of [dancing] in New York to recommend, but I do not doubt you would find it easy to arrange for [?] & practice. I am delighted at the idea of Pete's [mag]. I do hope it will be the thing for you, but don't fail to have the [?] Letter dramatized!! [Mister], you must [?]. It was a struggle to get that trunk packed but I conquered after a fashion,Well dear goodbye. Let me hear a loving word now [?] & tell me all your plans. It delights me to find that you get peace & calm & happiness in any atmosphere. I get fresh strength & courage & hope from you. Go on dear girl & take the [?] that waits you. Bye bye, your loving Laura thanks to the Knight of the tawny locks [with] his photo - L. Long Branch June 21st 1873. My Anna, ever dear, I am glad to hear of your whereabouts, but sorry that you are kept in suspense by Mr Chesney's in- decision about building. I think there is no doubt he will rebuild & that you will make your debut there, but if not, I think the best place would be Wallack's in New York & if I were you, I should get Mr Brougham at work on every play & get him interested in you so as to have his influence on Wallack to give you a good chance. If Wallack doesnot want the starring system introduced at his theater, try Union Square. Booth's is I fear too large. or why not try Boucicault:- he is to have a new theater with Stuart as manager. Get him to advertize your play & put you on his stage at its opening. Get a good letter of introduction from some one of his special friends & go to see him, at once with your plan. On the whole I am not sure that this is not your best course. But attend to it at once for such arrangements ought to be made soon. I dare say Mr Scoby who liked you very much would go with you to see Boucicault without other introductions. Write Watrous about it, & the next time I go up to town, I will hunt him up & see what he can do about it if the idea suits your approbation. I prefer your debut at the Globe, but next to it I do think Boucicault would be the thing. As to your story you can write a good one, but first now don't divide your forces of mind. If you are going on to the stage, study to that and solely this year. If not, why write your story "without a moral" I do not remember Mr. Watrous business address. but hishouse is corner of Lexington Avenue & 40th Street. I am hard at work translating a story for the Golden Age from the German writing book notices paragraphs &c, meanwhile. The old people are well. I suppose Louise will be in the 2d week in July. Love to Fannie if she is still with you. I am sorry if you were cold to Reid. I do not want you to break with him. To me, he always thinks highly of you. I fear he is overworking himself. I have nothing new to tell you. The old story I love you is as true as ever. I hope it wont weary you Goodbye yours L. Did you send Thursday Nov 27.73 My darling Anna, Your letter from Pittsburgh came late last night & I snatch a moment from arranging tables for a big family Thanksgiving dinner party to say a word to you. These household re-unions where all the "lations" little as well as big come, are more practical to read about, than to wait upon & prepare for. But that is domestic heresy, you know. We are, however, a little given to heresy in all points. What I am doing is very little with the telling- I am studyingItalian twice a week, writing a little & seeing a few, very few people. It is a dull season. & Pa has got a streak & says he don't want me to give a party. However that streak may wear off & I'll let you know at once if it does. I hope it will. but when Pa gets a notion it is always best to succumb and say nothing for a while at least. It is a piece of folly in Pa. He is afraid people will think it in bad taste, to give a party during such hard times, though he himself says it don't make any difference to him. He is just as flush as usual -- . Mr. Reid has gone to housekeeping & is my near neighbor. He has a very cozy,pretty little home & I hope it will prove all his fancy paints it. The opera under Strakorch is the only one alive & that looks to me on its last legs, for I went last night with Nelly (on Tribune tickets) & the house was poor and largely paper; & yet it was the first night of Aida & a magnificent spectacle it was! It must have cost lots of money -- Emma Milton has been very ill.Frank's wife, but he is out of danger now Louise is to come on to see me next week for a short visit. I asked Katie Field about a debut in England (not as related to you for I did not mention you in that connecction) as regarded herself, for she is always talking stage & she said it was harder to get an audience & place there than here. If she did anything she should make a plunge here. She knows Wilkie Colllins & I do not, but he is dining out all the time she said & she could not get at him. I told her I wanted to know 2 him. If I can get at him, I will & will do you errand. The very moment I find out if I may have my party I'll telegraph Sue & ask her to forward to you. The Kellogg troupe is doing only fairly. They are not coming to New York as they talked of, but will be in Chicago for two or three weeks instead. I sent your letter to Nasby, it went to him the very day it got here. All send love to you & I long to see you. You are very dear & precious to me. I wish Icould have more of you. Five publishers have asked Theodore for his novel after it runs through the Golden Age. That looks as if he were getting respectable. When you come again, I want you to know Stedman. He is very very nice & out of the common place. John Hay's lady love is here now & he is in a fever of delight. He hardly knows whether he is on the earth or in heaven. You must fall in love if you want to feel interested - an easy prescription you will say but where's the man who will make me fall in love with him! Alas - there's the rub. The last time I saw Kate Field, she was in the dumps. In disgust with the administration about Cuba & the world in general. But it is not so bad this world after all - not so good as it might be if you & I could have our say & straighten out a few of its crooked knots & tangles Well dear, the family tribe approaches. I must go& deal out the fatted calf - Bye bye - I love you & are your own Laura - 35 East 39th St New York Dec 9. 1873 - My dear Anna All of a sudden Pa wants me to give the party on the evening of Dec 18th - so I sent you a dispatch to day & this letter follows to bid you come by all means. I shall have Salvini, & a lot of nice people - Bring your prettiest gown & give some lyceum the slip, if necessary, but come, come - With love & in an awful haste, Laura -Monday Dec 14. 1873 33 East 39th St Dear Anna, Is there no way by which you can run away from Lyceums & come to me, the 18th, that is the date - Mr Barleo is to be here. The Warners are to come- Salvini is to be one of my guests. The party is not in honor of any one- only as I give one yearly. Louise came on to attend it. At the eleventh hour Pa said give it- too late, alas, for you to change your plans I fear. But do come if you can. I sent you a formal invitation. Ward is to come & Stedman & Gifford & lots of nice men. Jenny Van Zandt is stillin Chicago--I am sorry she will not be here-- Mrs. Helen Hunt was ill in Boston & J.W.H. telegraphed to Lucia Runkle to come & see her here. When Lucia got there, Mrs Hunt had been out driving & was "too weary to see her that night." Did you ever hear the likes? Mrs Hunt has gone to Colorado to recruit- Long may she wave, but not over me! I have not yet seen Wilkie Collins-- even as I see much chance of my meeting him, but if I do, you shall be in my thoughts & on my tongue- I have no news to tell you- All goes as usual- The Beecher affair drags its slow length along but I do think it can't be kept alive long-- Oliver is the happiest of Benedicts his poor little wife has been shut up for three weeks in her room. Frank's worries about business are in a fair way OK settled to his & all the world's satisfaction; by the preservation of his firm from blame. Emma is still very feeble. I half begin to think the doctors do not understand her case. She had another fainting attack on Sunday & as it is now more than a month since herfirst attack of bleeding. She ought to be gaining strength Well dear, I long to see you - if you do not come to the party, I shall be very very much disappointed. John Hay's lady love is here now buying her trousseau & if I do not mistake her wedding day is not is not far distant- Reid is very pleasantly situated; his nieces are here & are very nice girls- Yours most lovingly & longingly, & hoping to hear from you soon, I am your true & loyal, Laura- P.S. Five publishers have asked for Theodore's novel!! Appleton & Roberts Bros among them- 35 East 39th St New York- Dec 20, 1873 My dear Anna, I was greatly, greatly disappointed that I did not see you on Thursday night at the party. When I found that you were to lecture at Beecher's church, I was sure that you would come to Rev house, during the day & return to the party after the lecture. I looked for you up to half past eleven & then I gave you up. I told many of my friends that I expected you, Mr. Bowles, among the number &the Warners from Hartford, who were here also. Why did you not come? You would have enjoyed the party so much, I am sure. Salvini was here. Col Hay & his affianced, Dr Holland, Mr Chamberlain of the World & a host of others, editors, artists &c, just the people here," to whose circle you naturally" belong & the oftener you see them, the pleasanter it will make your set of friends here, when you come, as I feel sure you will some day to make New York your home & headquarters. headquarters. Yesterday I stayed in all day long, hoping you would come in, & fearing I might miss you. I feel dispaired in not having laid eyes on you for so long, & this time, it does seem as if I might have had that pleasure, but I suppose you must have had some good reason, like [other] railroad necessities of travel to meet engagements, to hold you away from me. Write me soon &tell me why you could not come - Yesterday Mrs. Kunkle, Kate Field & Theodore dropped in, by chance to lunch, & I did so hope some good wind would blow you in too. Louise has been here two weeks, but leaves on Monday next. Jennie Townsend is now here & Jenny Van Zandt will be in January. When may I look for you,dear. I love you & long for you & am as ever your true friend Laura C.B.35 East 39th St. New York Jan 7. 1874. No, you dearie. I did not think you "a pig" or anything other than what you are, a darling girl who is working like a Trojan - And being of Yankee descent myself, I guessed pretty nearly the reason I had not heard from is [?] you - namely that you had to cram work enough to fill twenty four hours daily into twelve. Come when you can & stay with me as long as you can & write me when you can, but be sure when you can't do either of these things,You will find no doubt in me, of your true heart & no petulance at your not doing the impossible. I love you, Anna, & when I do that, I trust, -- for I know the people I love through & through, & one doesn't always have to see a diamond flashing in one's bosom to know that he is the lovely possessor of the gem - It may be [my] out of sight in a safe, but it is none the less his -- You once inquired for at the party, by many & would have been most eagerly & cordially welcomed by your set of New York friends, which is constantly constantly growing larger & which you would find just the set you would enjoy, if you lived here, as I hope some day you will -- And now for your questions - First, I am very well. The cough has not appeared to torment me & worry my friends - I have been almost nowhere. There have been few parties & I have not accepted the invitations I have received. I have been to the theatres some, of course, for you know I love the drama. But though I have been [quiett] quiet, my winter has been very pleasant - Our house has been full of guests & [?] & [?] & it rather spoils one for going out into general society, to have such very choice & agreeable society came to me. The family are all well & all send love - Theodore is absorbed in his novel & so am I greatly interested in it. He has not yet decided to which of the eight publishers who have applied for it, he will give it, after it goes through the Golden Age - Elizabeth seemed well & cheerful when I saw her last which was about a week ago; but it has rained so steadily since that time that I have not been over to Brooklyn - 2 Last Sunday Frank called & it was his first getting out of the house for weeks. He has had neuralgia in the eye & suffered terribly - He is not yet able to attend to business - I think the Golden Age is doing all the time [W... ?], but of course any such business moves slowly at first & the panic was bad for all sorts of financial enterprises - Virginia Townsend is [still] here now & has written for Arthur's Magazine, a little sketch of her sojourn in the city last summer. You figure largely in it, for your visit was oneof her chief delights & she says "your talk was an inspiration & uplift to her -" You must see the article I think it a very good one - Louise is, as always, tossed & troubled by conflicting & perplexing plans, thoughts & desires - Poor girl, would she could find a place in which to rest & to be at peace - But I fear she never will, in this world - She has many & peculiar trials, bright as her life would seem to many - I wonder if you have got all the letters I have sent you. I addressed them merely to Philadelphia, for I lost your address. As to Salvini I have heard nothing from him, since he was at my party. The life- New York the next day, I believe & is sure to go to Havana & Mexico - I do not think he will be in the city again, but perhaps he may - Jenny Van Zandt will be here I think sometime during this month, but it is not certain - She is tired & worn, for she has had a great deal of hard work & a good deal of travel - Now I believe I have told you all there is to tell, which is little enough - When shall I see you? Where & how is Fanny? Givefrom her Laura I know - I love my girlie, Bye bye - Laura Wednesday Mar 23, 74 33 East 39th St. My dearest Anna, I am so delighted that you are speaking on the social subjects for I know your heart is in it & I know too that your genius is kindled only into its finest & loftiest flame by your heart - I have long felt that you were the only woman who could say the things that we both feel so intensely & I am so glad that you are getting the chance to say them, so that they will be my love to her - Kate Field seems not well & very blue. Nelly Hutchinson too is over worked & half sick - Life is pretty hard on a good many man & woman, but it smiles on me & on you too I hope - Let me hear from you when you can & be sure I always love you, as I know you love, your own Laura - John [Hay] is to be married February 4th.listened to - You, if any woman, can get the ear of the prejudiced public made deaf by that long prejudice - Who knows, but you may yet say all the truths, now that you can utter a part of it - Go on dear girl, suspend of your loyalty to your convictions, your sublime courage, & your own great genius- I am very proud of you & very fond of you, (which will be great news to you won't it, deary I hope you will drift our way soon. It seems an age since I saw your brave face & heard your tender words - Sometimes I think that horrid old Western climate will kill you & yet it seems as if Fate held you to that yearly pilgrimage - Tomorrow I am going to see Clara Morris & Frank Mayo in Camille - I am as much interested to see his, Armand as her Camille. He has been playing his "Davy" at Niblo's to good houses for quite a while. Fechter opens Stuart's new theatre in April. I wish you could be here to go the first night.with me. Can you get here by that time. Why not come right here & stay, if you can stop one night in New York, on your way anywhere. I will always share my bed with you, so no announcement of your coming is necessary. I have a little Christmas gift for you, just to think, I got it before that time & hoped to see you so kept it, It's a bit trifle but every time I see it, I grumble at Fate, which has kept my Anna from me so long. But it hasn't the power to show his heart33-East 39 May 26 1814 My dearest Anna, I am sorry your head still troubles you, but your head- is all right Thank God- Jenni V.Z has sailed- she life on Paterianda- she thought at first, she was then all alone on board, but he found friends both ladies + gentlemen (stare?) the captain save her a seat-at- his table hilly grand to Whom he had a letter introduction + i-will ( pleasalir?) (now?) age Then she imaginedIt is well ; for love, even more than virtue is its own exceeding great reward - Any noble soul (& his is one, if ever there was one) is grateful to another who has given to it the highest blessedness that can come to it on earth, the power to love with all it has of strength & [prose?] & purity - Such as love is a revelation & it kindles one's heart into new possibilities, Whether it be happy or unhappy, as the world counts happiness - God grant that you too, may find Kate Field is to make her debut in Philadelphia on June 4th as Rosalind, I think - I [was?} go on to see her, if nothing new turns up. Mother cannot speak aloud, her cold is so bad & Pa is ditto - It is tough on the old people, I declare - I am glad you wrote Mr C - He is a splendid fellow - No matter how things turn out, it is always a pleasure as well as an honor to you, to have had his love - & for him, even if his wishes are not grantedis his love, the rekindling that journal gale flamel I long for you. Whom to you come & the city. Never mind writing me. I know (just?) how you are, ( as I?) think your silent strange Come when you can(I will?) (? mile you your) plans + your (moving?) of The Branch. I love you very (much/ more amore?), as I have you through and through, (liar?); noble, someone, (?)Anna. I kiss you with the (?) (Peace/ Grace?) am your own Laura33-East 39th St Wednesday June 10/74 My Darling Anna, Your letter came to me yesterday, for I came up from the Branch [?] [?] I shall stay here till Saturday & then return to the seaside - I should be delighted to have you here to Othello, & I will give you pot luck, & a touch of Bohemian housekeeping, for I have one girl only here & the the laundress, but she cooks well enough for me, & I get on as gayly as if I hadcan then talk about all your questions - Now I must hurry to catch the mail so that you may come on to me & Salvini , if possible - Yours with love tender & true Laura - a service of plate & twenty courses for dinner. We have taken our passage too for Europe in the Celtic of July 18th - Mr. Wood, one of your friends called here just before we went to the Branch, to see where you were & to say that he was as next to go with his family to Europe & would like to have you join them. His address will be care Baring Bros, Bankers London - Well, I close in haste & hope to see you soon & asSummer Rest Long Beach June 20. 1874 My Dearest Anna, Did I mis understand you & did you not intend to go to New York & want me to see Monte Civile together - It must be so, for I went up expecting to find you at 39th St & was met only by [silence & a lovely house - so I did not go to see Salvini, but Frank did, having like me a notion that you were to come on & that he should find us at the play. He called at the house to make sure, but I was [*your mind & fail me at the last moment. I sent a check to you & grant- I am yours ever Laura*]out & so he got no hint of the change of my plans, which grew out of your absence -- I should have written you sooner, but when I got back home here, I found both Pa & Ma ill & unhappy--You know what that means in the domestic atmosphere - And at first I had no heart for visiting even you. I was afraid I should put my own petty worries into into any letter & so lay a new burden of sympathy on your shoulders, & I know you had enough to bear of your own. But now, Thank god, the sky is clear. The old people are better in health & consequently happier themselves & allowing other people to be happy too -- They are delighted at the idea of your company on shipboard, & of course you know I am intending saying it again -- Do you realize how soon the 18th of July will be here? We shall stay about a fortnight in London & so see that you are nicely settled there, if you choose to stay there, before we flit away & you must join us in Paris early in September.Kate Field reads again at Theodore Thomas annual benefit on Thursday next. She has written me, asking me to go & hold up his hands as Aaron & Hur did for Moses- so I shall accept & hope I shall be as efficient a helper as were the aforesaid gentlemen. Be sure & get these letters of introduction from Grow & also from Young for Dumas. I see Mrs Young has returned from Europe. I have nothing new to tell you. I love you very much & look forward to our little bit of Europe together with great pleasure -- [?Dont change] 5 want it, but I guess he will first print it in the Age though he has not yet settled that point. Where is Fanny Edwards? Louise is here & she & and I join in love to Fanny & of course to you -- I send hugs to you. I shall be delighted on you on your return East. It seems an age since I saw you & the silence which has fallen between us, though from no fault on either side, has been most unwelcome to me -- I write this very day, Iget yours, or that I know where to address you. Let me hear from you, as soon as you can - But - I know you love me, Anna dear, even if I do not hear from you for a longer space of time, than I desire. I should as soon think of doubting your faithful heart & constant affection, as I should expect you to doubt mine - & I should as soon expect you to doubt the existence of the everlasting hills, or the ceaseless roar and wavering unrest of the sea, as to doubt the love of your Laura. Sweet Anna, I kiss you a thousand times & reluctantly say adieu. I may go to Littleton later, but send to me to Long Branch for once - after that to 35 East 39th Street, as I dare say it takes a long time for a letter to go & come between Colorado and here - If it takes a week for a letter to go from this point to New York & a month or more for one to go from here to Philadelphia and eternity for one to migrate from Swampscott here whenmay we count on one's reaching distant Colorado - Well, I send this with a faint hope of it's reaching you & with a large lot of love as its freight - All are well & send love to you. I do not think we shall go to Europe this year- Pa vows he will not - Bye by- my pen lingers but I must run; the carriage waits . With love unfeigned & unfailing, yours, Laura-35 - East 39th St New York Oct - 29. 1874 My dearest Anna, Your letter has just come - you will be most welcome whenever the winds of circumstance wafts you to me. The Sphinx was so disgusting a play, it made people sick at the stomach & in eliminating the improper parts of it, to make the French element was shocking to the American moralities. God save the mask!- the whole motive & sense of the story were lost. The death scene was positively sickeninghas regained her health, thanks she says to Dr Schiefferdecker & his water cure, with it, - her good looks are returning. I hope she will succeed;- though everybody else prophesied failure, I somehow feel as if she would triumph & astonish everybody. I have oceans of talk, to flood you with when you come - so be prepared with some sort of life preserver, in the shape of deafness or patience to protect yourself. You will need it. As I shall But Clara did her part- well - The trouble was in the drama, not-in the actress - Miss Neilson has had poor houses - She has not filled the little Lyceum - Her day is either over or the ill fate- that has pushed that theatre from the artist, has been too much for her as it has been for so many others- I will see to getting seats for Charlotte Cushmans' last night- Meg Merrilies is the only part- I ever enjoyed her in. Queen Katherine is well enough, but her Lady Macbeth is awfully poor to my thinking - of course we will see K. F. make her debut- she see you so soon, I reserve it now. Give my regards to J.R- & to Fanny. Are you regaining your strength fully? I hope so- Father and Mother are well & send love & so does Mr Bullard, your ardent admirer, one of your hosts of suitors- As for me, I kiss you & long for your coming and all your own loving Laura- 35 East 39th St New York Nov 4th 1874. My dearest Anna, I am sorry to learn that you are not to be with me at the Cushman farewell- However since you are winning such golden opinions, (if you are not overtaxing yourself), I cannot regret your delay. I had asked Mrs Runkle to come in and spend Sunday & if she accepts, I shall still ask a few to tea as I had intended to do, to meet you, but since you don't come I'll ask them to meet her- As to the case, I do nothe had been one of the 4 options to the general rout - I hope you won't fail to be here to see Kate Field make her debut -The Cushman affair is fashionable & seats are unattainable now - but her Lady Macbeth, I never liked, & the pow wow afterwards is the chief thing that draws - Mrs Kay is in "an interesting situation-" The Col's eyes are better. They have taken a handsome furnished house in our neighborhood- I have not seen Reid of late. All send love Know how it is going to turn , nor had I heard of Frank's attempt at compromise. But it is not to be supposed that I hear all that is going on - I am very sorry for Gen Butlers defeat - That is the only one thing, I regret in this grand "tidal war." I can't bear Grant & the present methods of the Republican party & am glad both got such a rebuke - But - though I do not know Gen Butler personally, I admire certain characteristics of the man & I wish I am as ever yours Laura - The globe's was high praise from a quarter whose praise is worth something.35 East 39th Dec 26. 1874. My Dearie, For fear I may not find you in I write this time to ask you to come up to supper on Sunday at 7 o'clock if you have nothing better to do. I have asked Moses Cort Tyler, & Frank Carpenter & Frank Moulton and Frank Woodruff, but have heard from none of them in response - I cannot ask a tea party for Father is so nervous & miserably depressed that the very idea of it would make himfault is that it is too nice. Why will you overwhelm me with costly gifts? You are too generous. But why gamble that the sun gives excess of light-- Its nature compels it to pour floods of radiance & heat on the world & so-- Sweet Anna. I kiss you and am your loving Laura ill & I let even these few friends drop in, as if by chance, -- (he enjoys chance guests): so if you feel like coming, do --But you & I am too fond of each other to stand on ceremony & if you have anything which makes you think best to stay at home or to go elsewhere, do either with perfect assurance that I shall understand it. Perfect freedom is the motto of perfect friendship, as of perfect love. My dear, what a lovely picture you sent me. --Its only 35 East 39th St September 8 1875 My dear Anna, At last I hear from you-And it seems you have wondered that you did not hear from one- I [?] probably my last letter to you did not reach you, though I replied to yours from Chicago and I directed my letter to the Palmer House as usual- Then I supposed you had gome; in fact J.R told Louise you are in Philadelphia and I had not the slightest idea how or where to address you- I kept thinking you would write me, but I was sure you were busy somewhere and I know too that you have your silent hours- at last I thought she will speak & meantime I know she loves me just the same- I saw by the papers that you passed through New York a week or so ago- but from what quarter you came, or whether you were bound I did not know I am glad you have been so hard at work, & I am glad your theatrical plans are made I shall feel pretty interested in them, asYou know I am in all that concerns you - I came up to town yesterday for food. Josephine & her family are still at the cottage & all the servants are with her - I am alone with one maid in this big house - Father & Mother are at the mts,, but I think they will come home earlier than they did last year - They said they did not need me this time. I was very glad to get off from the trip - They are both well so Mary Hart writes & if they get ill, I can reach them speedily - Bullard & Harry are at Littleton - It is very cool & pleasant here, & the hot days must be over for this season, now it is so late. For myself, I prefer the subject "The Tyranny of Public Opinion" to the historical ones you name - But I liked your lecture on yourself much, & it was not so generally popular as others - so I feel as if I were not a good judge of what the general public would like - Then too the historical things are so familiar to me that I can't quite realize how unfamiliar 2 I hear indirectly that Kate has bought a play & that is all I know of it - Rose [?] met Mrs [Grant] & told her she ought to tell Kate it was hopeless. Mrs Grant said it was of no use for her to talk to Kate. Rose as a professional would have more influence + she ought to tell her. But Mistress Rose shrugged her shoulders & refused to bell that cat - Well, who knows, but Kate will pluck success out of her efforts after all - I still keep hope for her. I see by the papers Clara Morris is at home & improved - Poor thing she had a siege of it - I dont believe in those inquisitional tortures in medicine - I write in haste, but with love always - The old people return to- day & I must get the house in order to receive them - Bullard writes that father brightened up a little one day when he & Mary went out to the [Fabyan] to see him, but even settled down into his habitual melancholy the poor old man is sadly changed & broken -Well dear goodbye. I must run. Ever with love your Laura- 33 East 39th St Sept 21. 1875 My dear Anna, I was right glad to hear from you & to find you in such good working times, for I know that means health, the first requisite in this world where the body has such tremendous influence over the soul. I too long to see you & talk with you of all sorts of things. But now let me answer your questions - First then Mrs George is still in Europe & I do not know just where, nor do I know just when she will return. If you want to write her & take the chances of the letter reaching her, her address is "Care Jeremiah Curtis, Sons & Co. 493 Oxford Street, London England." A letter so sent her will be forwarded to her- but I do not know whether there would be time for her to get it & attend to your commissions, for she may have left Paris & if so, it would be too late. I enclose the card of that [?] woman. The French fashions say no bustles, but the Broadway styles certainly retain that appendage.Frank dined here the other day, a'la'Boheme & liked it_But he has gone back to Nanagausett again_ Theo writes that he receives most cordial & pleasant courtesies everywhere The clergy introduce him & compliment him & the best people of the conservatives , shower attentions on him _ He seems in good health & spirits & is making like a Trojan _ of course he finds enmity too & active workers against him but that was to be expected, after a contest in which people took sides , as if I were a personal & bitter general _ Beecher's reception invitation was a fizzle. I, who know Brooklyn, was surprised at the conspicuous un importance of the list of signers - no wonder, he declined It sounds well than had such an invitation & he knew it was a failure in signatures & that his enemies would show that up, if he kept on with the public demonstration - As a Daly, I have a horror of the man & I hate to have you undertake any dealings with him, but he may not be so black as he is painted - though I never hear a good word for him - he seems a chronic belligerent, & eternally on the war path! - 2 They probably are to the usual lecture = going audiences the country over- so I feel as if my judgement on these matters was about as worthless as that of any nobody could be - not that I despise my our opinions on some things, I do know about -, for on the contrary I respect them highly - only this subject - does'nt fall within that respectable circle of formed opinion_ Jenny Van [Z???ndt] is in Europe. She is engaged, & on better terms than she had last year, with the Kellog troupe. She begins here at Booths Theatre the 11th of October, & I am daily expecting a line from her to say by what- steamer she returns - She sees Kate often & says the people there say. "KF will not succeed because she's too old too ugly, too precise & old maidish for the stage." But she is trying for something . She wrote me vaguely & said I should know as soon as any one what - she was doing & that is all I do know_ But I have hope yet in K's success, not howeverin the line of characters she has thus far assumed there, I think is her mistake & she is cute enough to find that out. In comedy, I really think she might do well for in her last Union Square affair. she did the part in the comedietta best decidedly & won. Writer gave her credit there. She is not made for melodrama & I guess she knows it. But she has talent & above all she has indomitable which & perseverance. God bless her & may all success attend her say I -She is a good, warmhearted, true nature. Theodore has a hard season before him. But hard work agrees with him & I think that old platform life will rouse him to his best endeavor just as the war horse arouses to the sound of the trumpet. The talk of disagreement between him & his lawyers I have not even seen, but there is not one word of truth in it- anyhow- they are his warm & enthusiastic friends Judge Morris spent last Sunday with us 3 at the Branch & he could talk of nothing else but Beecher's villainy & he (Morris) is fifty times more eager in the fray than ever J J was- If it were Morris' personal quarrel, he could not be more fiery. Frank is still at Narragansett. He is such an indefatigable fisherman that while there is a fish to be caught in that bay, he will not return I'm afraid, unless somebody or something drags him away. I shall write him some & beg him to come home for I want to see the dear boy. As yet, I have seen nobody for I got here last night & it is now only just after breakfast. I did however run up to see the new actor- Sullivan- & he is good but not great. Rossi is great but not so great as Salvini. But Sullivan is only a good actor, well trained, & possessing talent, no genius at all. Still he is interesting as talent is always. Well he doesn't make your blood curdle.or your spine creep Speaking of spine, reminded me of poor Clara Morris, who has just undergone that horrid burning torture in Paris to which Sumner was also condemned. I am afraid her health will not be good enough to allow her to make the career her genius entitles her to. But possibly this horrid treatment may restore her to vigor but to me it seems doubtful. There is nothing new to tell you. The old story of love follows & is as true as it is familiar. Love to Sue & for yourself as much as you desire from Laura 35 East 39th New York April 6th Well Anna dear, Am I to see you soon? I hope so, & I somehow look for you too. As you are so worn out with that dreadful Western climate. I think you will need the change even from Philadelphia. Do run in & see me & stay as long as you can. You need not be assured that you are most dear & most welcome to me & to all of us. Then too you may make this headquarters& go & come at your own sweet will_ I know how to give to you what you so much love _ "above all things, liberty -" What do you think of the Great council _ and What of Theo's letters ? What of the stage for you ? Where & how is Fanny ? What about the book? Loads of questions I want to ask & loads of things I want & talk about ! Tell me when you can come. Let it be soon, to your loving Laura-35 East 39th St. Monday April 15 Anna Darling, You are coming to speak at the Cooper Institute on Friday I learn - Hip, hip, hurrah! Of course you would come at once to me & stay with me as long as you can - I want you at least a week & more if I can get you - Also, I want you to come here so as to spend Thursday evening the 18th with me - I am going to ask "Papa Horace" Reid, Hay, Bret Hartte,Miss Johnson, & Theodore here that evening to hear Jenny Van Zandt, the prima donna sing - so I want you here to meet them - I'll drop a line to Mrs. Runkle & ask her to come too - Secretly I will ask for you - If you are at home telegraph me that you will come - Don't dare say no, or you'll break the heart of your loving Laura, who is impatient to kiss you - Byebye Laura C. BullardFriday morning 35 East 39th St. Anna my dearie, I wrote you yesterday & your letter came to me this morning. So at last I hear from you - I am delighted you are coming. Whitelaw Reid was here last night & told me that you sure to be here the 10th to speak & of course you will be my guest. Emily will be here, but alas for the spread as you will see on your arrival, for workmen still keep possession. The dining room is full of scaffolding, and the halls are bare and uncarpeted, because of theirIrish inhabitants. I would give the thing the 11th or 10th, but it is impossible - I can ban a few nice people who will understand and make allowances - and I will do something - what, remains to be seen. I am in agonies trying to get a room ready for Miss F. Her room has a fire place yet unset resting against the wall no shades, no carpet, no bed, no nothing. But I hope to get it straight by tomorrow night. She is due Sunday. She will have [the?] Bohemian of it while I [p?], but when Pa and Ma come I'll give her a taste of respectability. Nelly was here yesterday and day before. She seems far more cheerful and happy than she used to. I think she is getting the better of chills and fever which have been active & dormant by turns in her system. She told me that Col [Ulay?] was pleased to hear of my return and he was coming over one soon. I shall be very happy to have him do so. I am glad Theodore has been doing so well. He is a dear and noble boy. I told W. R. about Susan's visit as I was full of it she said I was a little [goose?] to betouched by her tears & to be cajoled into believing her denials. Am I a fool? It was hard to think a woman could be so base as to do such a thing and equally hard to believe she could look me in the face with tearful eyes & tell me she was innocent & yet be lying. Well dear, no matter who is false, I am true to you & love you dearly & long to see you & am waiting impatiently for your coming to your dear Laura P.S. Yes it rained all the time at Littelton. I got home Tuesday night. Thursday Night Anna, my sweetie, Your note from Boston came today. It made my heart give a big bound of delight to see that there was a chance of you being here soon, at least by the 25th- I do want a little speech from you, if you can possibly come & make one. You shall share my bed as well as board. I love to have my velvety peach of a woman beside me, & feel the touch of her soft hand. To-night Mrs Woodhulllectures on the Naked Truth, at Cooper Institute, & Mr Beecher on compulsory education in Association Hall - the two antipodes of lecturers. I wonder what she will say - I dare say she knows no better than I do now, what she may pour out, for I think she is half mad and her crazy utterances are sudden & unexpected even to herself - she is possessed of a devil, I should say. Poor Theodore - his long trouble tells on him sadly - I fear at times, he will break down under it. I never saw him so lacking in buoyancy, so wary & so indifferent to everything. I really fear sometimes that he won't live three months - but perhaps my fears outrun the danger - I'm sure I hope so. Where are you to speak in Brooklyn? Does the burning of the Tabernacle, where you were to speak make any change in your plans? Let me hear from you when to look for your bright face & sunny smile. I press a kiss on your sweet lips & am your own, Laura 33- East 39th St. Wednesday March 6. My sweet and charming Anna, Your note from Corning came to me an hour or two since. I am [moved] to say a few of the many loving words I have in store for you, at once. I hardly hoped to have you here at the party, but there was a small chance and I thought I would try it. As to your trip to England - if you go - I will give you letters to several very charmingpeople there - to Browning & Frances Power Cobbe & Sir Charles Dilke & Mrs. S. C Hall , who knows everybody - beside several other nice people whom I will not catalogue _ It would be nice for you & I to run off, by our own two selves, for a month or two, but next summer I must stay in Long Branch, with the old folks - I suppose - However who knows, when we may have a little escapade together. I am so glad, you like me - for I like you amazingly well - I think I am very near, loving you - so near it, that I think of you very often & long to see you, in a most impractical and excessive way - Be good & come to me, as soon & as often as you can - Sweet Anna, good night - I wish you were here, that we might sit down in a heathenish or Christian fashion & discussall sorts of people & all sorts of things together - giving the devil his due & taking the mark off the hypocrites, in the silence & seclusion of our own chamber at least - if we did it outside, wouldn't it make a row? Bye bye. I love you & want you - Dear girl goodnight. Your own - if you will have her - Laura C. B.Dear Anna, I write in great haste to say I shall give the reception the 10th & as I do it principally on your account on that day, I hope you'll be sure to come - Hope to my eyes in [?ing] I am your own L. C. B.Wednesday May 27_ My dear Anna, Kate Field is now intending to make her debut as Rosalind in Philadelphia at the Walnut- St Theater on June 2nd, next - Tuesday + possibly I may come an to see her make her first appearance. Clara Morris has just called here & I like her very well- the more I saw of her I think, the better I should like her. She sent her love to you & wondered if you were going on to the stage. I told her it was not yet decidedI have nothing very new to tell you. Mother & Father have been very sick of those colds they had when you were here, only they have grown worse & worse - and the poor old pair have been in a state of mind hard to bear. They have felt outraged & irritated in consequence against fate, themselves & all the world. I hope they will be better soon & already they begin to seem more like their generous selves. I have not seen Frank but once since you left & then only for a snatch of time, as he went out of town by this station & so called just to say how do you do, & goodbye. I had not seen that awful critique on Cecilias Summer at Chappaqua. Poor girl, if she sees it & no doubt she will, it will almost crush her "petite [form?]." It is silly & the article is not only witty but just, but the lord save us all from [?] such justice in receiving it if we do deserve it. One on Kate Field's book by the same author in the Sun, was equally scorching & witty - also one on Dr. Holland's novel, Arthur Bennicastlewas a fitting match for the two others. I sent the last to Bayard Taylor. How are you getting on. Are you really growing stronger. Camille draws full houses but Miss Morris is really nearly worn out by her hard winter's work. Next Saturday week I think she sails for England. I think I'll go to see her again in Camille. Last night I went to see McCullough - but he has no genius, & did not move me at all. Miss Morris says the actors all like him as a man but think nothing of him as an actor Well dear I love you & am your own L P.S. Why not write to Gran for those letters: his office is Steinway Hall No. 7. - I would call only he's never in, & he soon goes to Europe but hasnt gone yet, I think - A letter would catch him when a call would'nt.Monday Morning Long Branch [*LB*] My Anna, I have some news for you. We are not going to Europe. Pa & Ma are so much better that they prefer not to go across the ocean but will try the Catskills for the cure of the annual peach fever. We have given up our rooms & I am so glad. I have spoken to Maria, the woman in charge of our house in the city & told her to give your adress to any one who comes for& confusion & worry - I do not think it is a blessing to have too many relations about you, all at once - Let me hear from you soon - & I do hope you can give me good news of your improving health - I love you & am your own true Laura it, using your name, as being the sender. I am full of anxiety about the struggle for name and fame & right, in which Theodore is engaged - "Thrice is he armed who hath his quarrel just? but your brand to be clothed in seven fold panoply, to contend with the honored and honorable pastor of Plymouth church. Well dear the house is full of relations & stir Mrs. Laura Curtis Bullard requests the pleasure of your company on Thursday evening December eighteenth at the residence of her Parents R.s.v.p. 35 East Thirty Ninth StreetMonday Afternoon Dear Anna, I have got the ticket - for Camille. They are not to good, as I could wish but- the sale began before I knew it. I wrote to Mr Palmer & have five good seats in the parquette, but not very near the front, as I wrote for them. There will be no port [paremont?] they say at the box office. I enclose telegrams & things that came for you. I wrote Micker that I did not know when you would come back or where you were now- that youwent off on business & reappeared at your own sweet will. J.R Y did not call on Saturday. Possibly he found that you were out of town after he sent his dspatch. We are all well & all send love. Virginia Townsend is here & an old maid Aunt of mine, my only Aunt in fact There is nothing new. When are you coming on? I shall expect you to go to Camille on Thursday with Bullard, JJ, Jenny & me - Dont fail - With love Laura C.B.Dear Anna, Yes. I will pick you up. Every one of our horses is sick, but I have engaged a street or livery stable carriage of which I am sure, & I will call for you at 1/4 before eight as I leave here at half past seven. I send with this a note which came for you today- Let us hope for the best as to audience. Never say die. I'll bet there will be a good house. Ever with love my dearie your Laura.Miss Dickinson St. James Hotel 35 East 39th- Sunday Morning- My lovely & beloved Anna, One word with you mainly to say that always your time & plans will fit into mine, so far as to make you welcome indeed to my house & arms - you know no matter how many others are here, your half of my bed is at your service & as to the table, there is always room for one more. Sometimes I could give you more time than at others, but I can always see you & give you as much of myself as youwant. I have seen that you are to speak the 13th instead of the 10th - All right. Come along to your Laura - In awful haste but with heaps of love. I bid you bye bye.35 East 39th Monday Morning My Anna, The Cushman farewell was fine, & all but the Cushman herself - The actress I mean - as for the woman , her pluck & energy & all that , deserve all the ovations & money she may receive= Everybody was there & her speech was really good - I saw Russell Young & wife & Bundy of the Mail & Hay & Reid & in short everybody. Mr Brooks & Mrs Dodge were my neighbors on one side & Willy Hutchinson & MrLloyd ([Annie Bros's?]) brother in law is the other- I had two extra seats & gave them away- I wish you had been there, for it was a memorable occasion & I like to see the dramatic profession honored. I have not seen Clara Morris [?] Julia- I have been waiting for you & if you had'nt written me today I was going ( in despair of your company) to get somebody else to go with me on Wednesday or Thursday. As it is, I will get seats for Saturday's matinee- Doly has done the mean thing of putting Peg [Woffington?] on his stage Tuesday & he has a Matinee of it on Saturday. I'm afraid it will hurt Kate. For she will have the [memory?] of Fanny Davenport, a beauty & a good actress & and experienced one, to contend with. But it cant be helped - I too have lot to say to you, but as we shall I trust meet so soon, I will not write it. I send you love, in large measure & am your [dear?] Laura Long Branch Friday Aug 23d My sweet + dear Anna, What a lovely monogram you have now on your paper - Isn't that womanish enough for a strong minded female - So much for that & now dearest dear, let me tell you how glad I am that you are resting by the sea - I hope you are enjoying every moment of your stay - If you want to go to Maine, go by all means - I shall stay at the [Nets] sometime, probably until the 1st of October - So do your political [work?] if you think best. Theodore & Elizabeth may & may not run up to the Mts, after election day in Maine, but they will not stay more a week, and if they come, which is doubtful, & I can give you as much of myself as you care for at the Mts - then you can return with me & halt at 39th St for a little visit, if the house is free from workmen as we hope it will be at that time or if not, you can come with me here & tarry a little. All of the family are very fond of you & will be glad to have a sight of you, & I shall be in no hurry to get rid of you. I dreamed of you last night & oh how [?] I wanted you when I woke up- I see that Sumner Banks, Trumbull Farnsworth & others are working in Maine. I see no chance of carrying that state in this gubernatorial contest for our side, but the majorities may be reduced & it may go for [Gurley?] in November though I doubt it. I want you to go & workfor Pa Gurley there, if you dont think it will overtax you. What does W.P. say of your going just contrary to his views of politics. I have lots & lots to say to you but will not say it now, as i might look foolish in black & white to put such a lot of [cruel?] things on paper, which I could whisper into your ear & nobody be the wiser. Well byebye, with love [?] you LauraMonday Night 11 o'clock-- My Anna, I am sitting in my night gown to scratch a few lines to you to tell you that Bercher has written a card clearing Theo from the charge of slandering him & an editorial in the Brooklyn Eagle does T.T. full justice--Hurrah--I only hope it will be copied far & wide. The poor boy has suffered long enough from misrepresentation & incomprehension. I was pretty disappointed not to see you before you left, but F B. Carpenter is not arapid foist, as [Artemus] might have said. He had not much to say but it took him a good while to say it, when he got through, you had flown - I want you to write or telegraph to me which day you will come to see Fechter - Monday or Wednesday- Be sure you let me know a few days in advance. Jenny Van Zandt has come & it was impossible for me to see Boucicault - I will however through [Watsons] or Sidney find out about him & his crankiness - I am very tired to-night for I have been doing a lot of news = paper work today, to help out & so I must say goodnight & God Bless you - Jenny V. Z. & Missie go down tomorrow - I shall go over to [?] for a few days - But you can address me - here so I shall be [?] every day & so shall get letters in [?] batches all right - Love you & send you a heart full of affection - The Boston papers say Mr. Cheney hesitates about rebuilding the Globe, but I dont believe that. I have learned that every printedprophecy or statement does not invariably prove true-- Success to the great American actress & good night says her Laura-- 33 East 39th St. Nov 24. Sunday-- My dearest Anna, How I wish you were here with me today--I am very very tired of my [?] cold & cough & I feel like getting away from myself somehow--If you were here, you could help me do that by making me forget my petty individuality in your freshness of thought & feeling--I am glad your speeches are so successful--I so very much want to hear the "Whats to Hinder me"--Shall you not giveit here this winter. Shall you not be here till the 17th of December? I long to see you. Sister Jote says you must spend the night with her, the evening you lecture in Brooklyn & I am to be your hd fellow on that occasion if you do not say nay. Louise is in Pomfret for a week & then she returns to Nell - is 28 Rutland Square again. Kate Field has got here & is at Gramercy Park, where she has nice rooms. She does not like New York so much. Do come & go to the theatre with me. Mrs Faithfull returns about the middle of December & then I suppose we shall get up a reception for her. Cant you be here - The burden of this letter is I want to see you very much. I shall go to Washington when Emily does. cant you be there at the same time. Are you happy - I Fancy - I should be if (there is always an if) and if I had not this tiresome cough.Bye bye - I kiss you & love you with all my heart & am your own Laura Your scarf I sent you by Susan & it is a beauty. It quite puts poor me & mine in the shade, but I must destroy you for all that. Sweetheart take a kiss again & farewell. If Fanny is with you give her my love. L Friday Morning Dearest Anna The clip above I clipped from yesterday's Herald- So you see you are to be married whether or no- Your dear letter came yesterday. It is always good to get a line from you, a part of the warmth & glow of your heart clings to the cold lives & it warms & cheers one. I love to have you love me for I love you truly & ardently & so it is good to feel that it is esteemed. It seems perfectly to day & [*I write in haste but always with dearest love for my Anna. I long to see you. do come as soon as you can to your Laura All send love.*]in the midst of the tempest came a ring & a telegraphic dispatch from Nancy Van Zandt who was called away suddenly by the return of her dying brother from the battle so suddenly that she left not only her trunk with her hair [?] [?] . He died this morning & she sends for her things - but I think she will return later, to arrange for a concert. We have some relations visiting us just now & Miss Faithfull & Pat are to stop here on Monday on their way to Boston. Poor Miss [Emily?] got to Washington as [easily?] as a nickel, & very proud and happy she was she met this very next night her old enemy got hold of her & never a wink of sleep did she get, nor could she lie down for one moment on her bed. I think this experience will effectually put a stop to all plans for a lecturing tour next season. In fact it would be simply irresponsible for her to keep a series of engagements. I got a letter from your sister Susan, saying she hopes to have a visit from Miss F. & Miss F writes me that it is thought best later for her to go to Philadelphia.to give a farewell lecture, so I am sure he will be glad to accept you & your sister's hospitality. Mrs. Wordhull saved me The Weekly regularly & this week she has a letter to Col. Higginson, which she copies from a Princeton paper - It is written by a young girl who says he taught her to love - What a fool that woman is; to be slinging her arrows all around her circle; if she means to do that mischief, she injures her new power by this course - but her follies or her madness are no concern of mine -Wednesday night BC My Anna dear, I called at Mrs. Croly's & found Mr Clarke's address was 121st W Harlem, Unity Chapel-Mrs. Croly was so sorry she could not hear your Joan of Arc, that I thought (though I did not suggest it) you might possibly take her along. You will not be obliged to speak at the dinner so it's all right. With love, LauraWednesday - Dear Anna, I called yesterday, just as the elevator had stopped running at noon -A boy took up my card & returned saying you were out. But I always doubt whether the boys go to the rooms. I saw Mrs. Pryor & invited her & husband & Miss Pryor to dine on Friday week to hear you lecture. She won't come, but Mr. Pryor will. The daughter too is doubtful- Will you come to dinner, or don't you want to, as you have to speak- I want you to do as you please.Judge Morris said he would not fail to hear your speech - Send me a couple of tickets for Florence Tilton -& escort- He doesn't hardly dare go, yet I see no impropriety in it; & possibly he may: he wants to greatly- I was so sorry to miss you. Take my love_& byebye_ Laura_Sunday - Dear Anna, Theo is here & does gratly want to get a glimpse of your bright face & hear your cheerful voice. Can't you come up, at once & see us both - Do & delight also you Laura -My dear Miss Dickinson - I had hoped to have you & Elizabeth Tilton & Theodore take tea with me on Sunday, as Elizabeth said you were to spend [*Mrs. Laura Curtis Bullard*] the day with them; but she tells me today that you can give them only a few hours - Elizabeth said if she could get word Fridays - 35 East 39th St. to you she would suggest your comingto me, as it would save you the long trip to Brooklyn & she & Theodore would meet you at our house - 35 East 39 - can't you come If you can. I will let them know at once - Hoping to see you. I am yours truly Laura C. Bullard -Saturday - My dear Anna , I have half hoped you would run in & see me, but I know how busy you were & therefore am not surprised that you have not made me a call. I should not have waited for you, but I thought you would not be in your rooms, as rehearsals & other theatrical worries must be absorbing your time_ I have only now to say, what is true, that my old faith in your poems is justified by your works_ I am more indignant at the way the press treat you though I can express. Now, they all admit that the play is good, & yet those very critics a year ago, said it was worthless! Theo writes me that the Mathesons of Louisville praised your playing & Mrs. Chaufrau whom he met in Texas, believed you would win! I hope she is a true prophetess-. I have a great deal to say , but I will wait till we visit_ -Only now adding the love of Laura _