NAWSA General Correspondence Lane, Eliza

August 5/91
[*Aunt Elisa*]
[*Martha's Vineyard, MA*]

My dear nephew Harry,
 
          I was very 
glad to receive your kind 
pleasant letter and truly
pleased to know the seat
was acceptable, soon after
our arrival in England
(that is your uncle and
myself) we were invited
to make a little visit to
your uncle William who
was occupying a pretty
cottage in a suburb of
Bristol after a while he
spared us a bed room
and sitting room, paying
rent for the same, and
his servant Betty cooked
for us, the brothers had
little "tiffs" occasionally, but
uncle W. was always kind

and pleasant to me 
I forget how long we 
remained with him, but
some months, when your 
uncle Charles made up 
his mind to go to London
and from there to France,
a day or two before saying 
good bye your uncle 
came to our room with 
the seal said here "Charlie 
my boy" keep this in 
remembrance of me, think 
he used to wear it on 
his watch chain, it was 
the fashion in those days 
but of this, am not quite sure.
I know you and Sam 
thought so much of your 
uncle Charles that I wished 
you both to have something 
that belonged to him -
I sent a book of poetry to
El Manor at Christmas 1889 
perhaps you have seen it.

The glasses I gave to dear 
Alice were the first your 
uncle ever wore I was
with him when he 
purchased them in St 
Pauls church yard, he used 
them for many years, then 
presented them to me,
saying keep them they will 
do for you some day, the 
others I am wearing, but they 
have had new frames twice.  
I thank you and Lucy 
very much for your kind
invitation for a little visit 
in your beautiful home  
I should like to do so very
much, but do not know if I 
should have courage to 
come alone, I am now 
timid and nervous traveling 
without a companion the
result of old age, and I 
have my return ticket 
but perhaps I could dispense
of this, but we shall see
better when the time

comes for leading the
Vineyard-- We are getting
along nicely enjoying a
pleasant quiet time Ellen
and Grace go off sketching. 
I sit in my cosy room sewing
reading and writing, take
a ramble on the downs
and cliffs in the afternoon
or go over to Florence through
the wood it is a pretty walk
and the distance just suits
me - I am very glad she is 
nearer to us - we are all
invited (our cook included) - 
to Mr and Mrs Brown's on Friday
to a picnic dinner of fish, 
hope it will be a fine day
we are having perfect weather
bright days and warm, hope 
it may continue several days
hope Alice is enjoying the
camping out [gr?] give her 
my love with much love
to Lucy and yourself
from yours lovingly
Aunt Eliza.

Eliza (Major) Lane 
Aunt of Henry B. Blackwell
?
[*Eliza Lane (Mrs. Major Lane)*]
[*Aunt of Henry B. Blackwell*]

Transcribed and reviewed by contributors participating in the By The People project at crowd.loc.gov.