Anna Dickinson GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE Hall, Phebe C. undated 1891-9422 John St Providence R.I Dec 9th 1891 My Dear Miss Dickinson A few days since I read in a news paper a notice of you which delighted me much, for it told me you were regaining your health + strength, and I thought I could read between the lines, - that you had been wise enough to accept of good Dr Sewards. advice and friendship and remain with him the past Summer. You so much needed a good rest and the care and friendship of two such good people as himself and the good lady I met in your room. You would probably laugh at me should I tell you how much in the past my mindhad turned in your direction and how I felt regarding your staying with Libbie so long. You could not have had any rest and comfort there. You have always been taking care of others and helping them, and I always believe your staying in Elizabeth was as much or more for Libbie's comfort than for your own. Had I been in New York recently when you were I don't think I could have resisted the temptation to come and see you, [though?] I don't know as you would class me as among your friends. I hope you have won your case against those beastly republicans and they compelled to pay you your just due. don't let up on them if case has not been settled. Did you ever know Mrs. Elizabeth Thompson called the great Philanthrophist. I know her a little enough to make me believe now - that her incarceration in an Insane Asylum is only a pretext to get hold of her immense wealth. I don't believe she is any more insane than I am or than you were. I wish your good Dr. Seward could get hold of her. I don't know where she is, but Jafers said she was pronounced insane by some Court in Kansas City The last time I saw her was about 5 years ago- she told me then she was making her home with her brother in Stamford or New Haven, I can't remember which, I didn't ask for particulars because she toldme she was living my return to trip among the begging crowd that worried the life almost out of her. I would like to find out some one who lives in Kansas City that could be depended on to look her up. I have written to the President of the Antia kidnapping [So?] in N.Y. but it is probably out of their reach I am staying here for awhile helping to take care of a member of my family who has been ill some months So have not been in N York much since I saw you. I would be very much pleased to hear from you, direct though I dont feel I have any right to ask you to write me for I am sure you must keep 2 yourself very busy with your correspondence and other writing I felt I wanted to congratulate on your recovery of health for after the terrible strain upon your nervous system. I feared you would not be well for a long time. Such a terrible experience is enough to kill stronger normal people than you and to me it seems almost a miracle that you were not made insane by it. I wish you could punish these people as they deserve. If I were the Judge [?] [?] to them their just deserts. I would put them in a mad house for 20 years Very truly and sincerely yrs Phoebe C HullLake Pleasant-Mass June 19th 92 My dear Miss Dickinson It does not seem possible that three weeks have passed since I saw you last - in New York and that I have been here nearly as long. I left there on Tuesday morning at 9 o'clock arriving here at 3-15. We change at Springfield for Conn River RR and waited 45 minutes, changed again at Greenfield for Fitchburg R R Nine of us came along together from N. Y. Five women, a dog, and three birds. Here I am in my own little den and glad & happy to be here, now seated in cottage part at a window looking out eastward "over the hills to the poor house" farm of this (Franklin) county This place is a queer one, it orijinally started as a camp withtents dripped down closely together 15 years afterward the ground was bought - instead of leased, then ground was surveyed and platted, and as most of the people preferrd the old location, they were accommdated to small lots hudded close up together. So that with cottages on them they are rather close together This part of my dwelling place is simply one good sized room, with running water inside and a water closet opening out and hanging closet also, its quite comfortable and very conveenient. Across a little platform [?] over is the other part - a mixture of tent and cottage, good roof gables ends boarded in, tent cloth sides buttoned on, and cloth-curtin for doors which draw across openings whole front - into front room There are three rooms, front some and has bed rooms I call them I have heard similar kind of buildings have been used at Ocean Grove. I like it it's a delightful place to sleep in. There are quite a number of cottage open, It has been hot here most of time since I came day time perhaps as hot as New York, but cool at night and I sleep like a top on my soft straw bed on springs I am describing all this business to see if it will tempt you to come here. I am at present getting my own meals, plenty of good Milk, Eggs, Berries, home made Bread and not much meat; my facilities for cooking is limited to a single oil stove with no oven so roasts are out of orderhow about yourself. how are you and how getting on with writing? Have you seen Hepworth yet and arranged for articles he wanted Coming out of New York I had the company of Nellie Brigham who is Speaker for the Ethical [br?] of Spiritualists at 44 W 14th St She told me of Pheboe Hanaford speaking in her place one Sunday recently and said you were there to hear her and she proposed calling on you to do same thing I am wondering if she called at first the idea struck me favorably, but after more consideration I doubted this wisdom of it for I could not see how you could fit it up in any theme suitable for you. Nell suggested you experience in Asylum. I said no don't ask her for that or any political subjects. I hardly 2 imagine you would care to speak there. any way I am not going to bore you with a long letter, you are not used to my horrible scribbling Now my dear "Dickie" shall I beg? if the notion takes you to come up here, I should be delighted to see you and would make you as comfortable and happy as I can under the circumstances, I should want you to consider the matter carefully and do just what was for your best interests, if nothing better offers you may feel like coming There is no luxuries here and but little privacy, I cant urge you to come as I would do even if all different, If I am well, I shall remain until middle of Sept., hadA bad fall on Thursday, thought at first a bone in leg was fractured but find its a strain of tendons & chords. Cant step on it very easily, so am keeping rather quiet. Now wont you be real good and write me soon and tell me how it is with you. And if you should think of coming up here let me know in advance I expect a lady friend from Boston during month of Aug and possibly others may come, but there will be a place for you if you feel to come, for as long as you could be contented, if it even whole season. Only you must weigh the matter carefully, for our living here is much like a long Pic Nic Sincerely & lovingly yours Phoebe C Hull I enclose a little map which shows location336 [?] City April 9th/94 Miss Anna Dickinson Having heard that you have "piles of money' and being in great need of some I must ask that you pay the note given [?] Mr Nash Dec 1st 1892 and which I had to pay This must be attended to at once, pay a part of it if not all Some day I shall call you to account for the many stories told about me Phoebe C HullPhebe Hull Advanced, Never one word of that kind '74, or '75. '75 18