[* NAWSA GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE Stearns, Ellen Abbott *] [*Ella Abbott*] Newton [?] June 3" 1880 Dear Dimi: I am determined to be first this year at all events. I was at college this forenoon and consequently think I can write something of interest to you. Mr. Herlman, Mr. Jordan, Mr. Bristol, Mr. Sterno Mr. Black, Mr. Goodrige, were all there during the two hours that I staid we also Misses Dame. Lalbot, Putnam Joy Price and Leslie Pressner[?] Miss Jennings was also there during little things for Prof. Buck. She had a list of the namer of three who were taking the examinations to arrange in alphabetical order. Among them was Mary McLaughlin of Summerville [?] [or Cambridge] a Roman Catholic. Only there boys were present among thirteen girls. More many come of course in the fall. One of our girls remarked that there were lots of pretty girls among them Miss Kitredge was there and Miss Dane's sister came in to finish up. Prof. Bowne told Mrs. Talbot yesterday that Marion was the smartest one in the class, always excepting Miss Putnam. He also said that she had done well enough in his studies to come back and take a course under him; that she had improved since she began. Prof Lindsay was around chatting this morning. He asked me if I began to feel my dignity. He says magistrator is correct; that magistratus of the fourth declension means magistracy and that of the second declension it means the individual magistrate. He says these are old forms handed down from the middle ages, and that they have been used over and over again. (I mean the whole programme). The seniors had a delightful time last night. Everything was arranged finely. Mr Tilton had the class prophecy and he made nearly all of them have a large family. Some pretty hard jokes were passed upon Mr Hunter, I suppose from what was said by Miss Talbot, concerning his doings with leadge. He was successful in getting a wife and a large family. Miss Talbot is to be dean of B. U. and Miss Putnam is to be assistant to Prof Browne. Miss Talbot and Miss Putnam are going to Hopkinton. I believe next Tuesday to visit in Wilbur Claflin's family. The seniors of B.U. and Wellesley are invited to meet at Ex Gov. Claflin's within a day or two. I believe Friday but I am sadly mixed up on days. Mr. Jordan says that it will be a pull between Mr. Holman and Mr. Bailey as to who will be elected by the class. They belong to different societies and each society will insist that its man is the smartest. Mr Jordan says we don't know anything about what Mr. Bailey can do when he sets out; that he preached for him once and astonished everybody. I said I should vote for Mr. Holman unless I discovered for myself Mr. Bailey's powers. Our horse is suffering pitifully. He had just arrived from Canada the day my uncle bought him and we are told that the cause of his distress is the fact he isn't acclimated. We thought he had the horse ail and would probably die, but are relieved to know that that is probably not the case, although I am afraid that doesn't relieve him much. A cow and a calf are coming tomorrow. We have named them in advance, Jessie and Belle. When are you going to Attleborough and how long are you going to stay? I received a card from Cadge tonight, entreating me to tell her what senior was engaged. I have told her as I also will tell you that it is Georgia Townsend. She did at one time expect to marry and go west this fall but think nothing is decided. I know no more, but I shouldn't wonder if she would tell me. She was only anxious to keep it till after commencement. She did not tell me herself. Doesn't it seem funny that that little midget should be allowed to go away Ella Abbot South Bethel Aug. 7" 1880 Dimidium Animio:- I hope you have been so busy having a good time that you have not once thought that it is a long time since I have written. We came here a week ago Tuesday, having been delayed in Newton by company until that time. My uncle's brother and wife and two sisters left our house Monday morning and we left Tuesday afternoon. This morning my aunt left en route for Boston though she intends to be about a week getting there, stopping at two places on the way. I gave her a wheelbarrow ride last night though the wheelbarrow did not move more than three inches she was so heavy. I can wheel it full of wood or fodder corn for the cows quite easily. I have taken that as my special work and it is great fun. The corn is southern corn and is sown in rows and I am cutting out all sorts of rooms and walks in it, just as we used to when we were little girls. One part of the programme I cannot carry out so well now, my heights making it less convenient. We used to play hid and seek in the corn, but now the order is reversed and we are much taller than the corn instead of the corn being taller than we. Lizzie Bryant drew me in the wheelbarrow down across the field two nights ago and Aunt Mittie and her mother were out in the road cheering us. A king bird's nest on a post of the fence is an object of great interest now. The old bird makes a great commotion whenever we very slender and weak and his efforts were unavailing. We showed him to Aunt Mittie and she said he was a young bat. After he had stayed long enough to wear out his welcome we put him out of the window and said goodnight. Last Thursday my three brothers brought home forty-two quarts of blue-berries from a mountain about fourteen miles from here. They were very large and weet. They started about half past three A.M. and returned between eleven and twelve P.M. Lizzie and I wanted to go most awfully, but "girls can't stand it" so we staid at home. It is three miles to the top of the mountain and they have all that distance to go on foot, and when they come back, of course they have the blueberries to bring. Bear mountain is where they went, and they saw a bear eating his breakfast of then probably shall make a short visit at Greenfield. Accept love, E.M.A. blueberries. He looked at them and walked off. A man told Stephen that he had seen eleven up there in a group. I wish I could see a live bear in his native woods. I've seen a dead one here that a man had killed and stuffed and hung up in his barn. Bears sometimes get so plenty here that they come out as far as the farms and kill the sheep. That is not very common in this vicinity now-a-days, though it has happened in father's day to his sheep. Our three boys went with two other boys living about [three] a mile from here and as they had our wagon and harness, we took our horse and went down there to get them about nine o'clock. I rode about half the way on horseback, Lizzie leading the horse, but as we did'nt have any saddle and Fannys back was rather sharp I did'nt find it very comfortable. It seemed an age before the boys came, but at last they appeared half asleep and half frozen. Fanny was immediately harnessed and all was ready for starting, but the boys wanted to warm up a little and left Fanny for a few minutes. When we came out she was nowhere to be seen, but we found by the wheel tracks that she had turned towards home, and we followed rapidly after and overtook her a short distance ahead. She was very much vexed at having to stop to take us in, and did'nt wait long to meditate after we had taken our seats. We found a good fire when we got home and the materials for making ginger tea all ready on the table. We ate supper and retired about eleven o'clock. Curtis aged fourteen slept hard till ten the next day. Miss Alice Mason a graduate of St. Lawrence College of Canton New York lives here. She is of the class of '88 and of course one of Miss Putnam's class-mates. I have'nt met her yet but have been invited to call with a friend of hers. She has seen Miss Putnam, I suppose at Canton, this summer. Stephen starts for Kent's Hill next Friday and we expect to drive him about thirty miles of the way. We expect to have a grand time. We shall be gone two days. I shall want to hear all about your pilgrimage to the woods. I have been so lazy about writing letters that I have heard no news from any source. I hope you will forgive me and write while I am here which will be till Aug 27th. After that I shall be at home for a few days and go up to inspect her young brood. They are three in number and when we saw them first were utterly destitute of feathers; then they began to have little white tufts all over them and now they have quite a lot of pin feathers. They are exceedingly homely little things, but not half so ugly in appearance as were the robins on the corner of our piazza when they were growing. I have the tail feathers and one of the wings of a yellow hammer that my brother shot. He thought it was a crow when he took aim. I am going to wear them in my hat next winter. We waged a mighty contest with a bat night before last. He took it into his head to make us a call and came into our room through the open window. After he had flown around a few minutes, Lizzie arose and with determination in her face said, "I'm going to have that bat." Lizzie B. and myself were summoned to her aid. Our weapons were two umbrellas, two towels and parts of two dresses. Lizzie A. accuses me of getting an umbrella ostensibly to fight the bat and then retiring behind it for protection but I "deny the allegation and defy the allegation." 'Round and 'round the room swept the bat and the more we tried to catch him the harder he flew. he swept straight through the edge of my mouth and left something as a token of remembrance which I scornfully rejected. At last by merest accident he found himself on the mantel and Lizzie B. with a "leap and a bound" threw over him a dress waist and had him in her hands. The we proceeded to the light to examine him. He was so mad and spiteful, he snapped his head back and forth and tried to bite, but although his teeth were very sharp they were E Monadnock St., Upham's Corner, Boston, Mass. June 21, 1931. Dear Hattie and Cadge: Alla Abbott Stearns is just as good as ever, which means as good s as gold. I wish you might have seen her, but, as the next best thing, I am going to pass on to you the information I gotfrom her, so far as I can remember it. I wrote you about the Alumni Reunion. Ella and her husband and daughter with whom they are visiting here, came to the B.U. Commencement l the next day, and afterwards, by invitation, I wet went home with the m and took lunch and spent the afternoon: so we had a fine chance to talk. Dr. Stearns had been quite impressed by the hug huge size to which B.U. has grown, from the small beginnings about whi which his wife had told him. The daughter, mrs. K.M. Bowman, looks like a little girl, but has four sons, the eldest fourteen. Her husband is Medical Director of the Psychopathic Hospital. She seems to be a most efficient and energetic little woman, and Ella says she is, and that it is wonderful how much she accomplishes. She had parked her car very judiciously, so that we got into it and got off with very little trouble. This was something of of an achievement, when there were such great numbers of cars waiting outside the Arena for the 1495 graduates, and I don't know how many t thousand undergraduates and their friends and relations. Mrs. Bowman said she and her husband each had a comparatively inexpensive car, so that they might both go around, instead of one more costly one. She s spun us out' driving swiftly but carefully, to her pleasant home at 866 Beacon St., Newton Centre. Dr. Stearns was born in the next house. We had a nice lunch, and saw three of the four boys; the fourth was laid up with chicken-pox. Ella and I talked nineteen to the dozen, recalling old times, and telling each other what had hppened since. Dr. Stearns is invalided and retired. At their home in Hamilton, they get their own breakfast and supper, and go out to dinner. He seem seems to be an intelligent man. You may remember that at the time of the wedding we heard that he was of small size but very bright. He is slightly deaf, but pleasant. Their children are as follows: Lesle Ballard, aged 45. He is sporting editor of the Springfield (Mass.) Union, and has just had a son, after being married 16 years without any children. Allan Beecher, aged 44, publicity manager for the American Telephon and Telegraph Co. He live in Plainfield, N.J., But his business is in Newark. Has one son and one daughter. Eliza Bowman, commonly called Betty, already des cribed. Helen Sybil, married to Professor Jesse S. Boughton, who teaches philosophy in Gettysburg (Pa) College. Has a son and a daughter, 9 and 11 and twin boys a year old. William O. Stearns, 'r, teaches English in the White Plains (N.Y high school. Has one daughter, Jane Abbott, the Abbott in honor of Ell Charles, unmarried. Landscape gardener. Is at present making a ch children's park at Passaic, N.J.; but "his work is movable." You see Ella has four sons and two daughters, and nine of her twel grandchildren are boys. She says she is totally ignorant of music, can not tell Yankee Doodle from Old Hundred, or hardly can ; but Dr. Srear Stearns is musical, and all the children and grandchildren are musical and several of them play on instruments. Ella was 76 on June 12, and she showed me a nice letter from one of her sons, written for the birthday, saying how much they loved and ad mired her mother. She is somewhat deaf, and stouter than she used to be. As we were coming out from Commencement, I remarked to her it was bigger than it used to be. I meant B.U., but she thought I that this was "bigger then it used to be." I meant B.U.b but she thoug thought I meant her. ast winter they went to Florida, for the benefit of Dr. Dtearns's health, and she is enthusiastic about the beauties of Florida. She was especially impressed by Edward Bok's towwer, the highest point in Florida. She says it is built of tinted marble, beautifully carved, and stands at the head of a pool in which it is reflected, and that wonderful landscape gardening has been done around it. She was also much interested in a colony of 1200 Greeks at Tarpon Springs who dive for sponges. When it was time for me to go, Mrs. Bownman sat down on the fllor, as limber as a little girl, and studied up the route on a map, and put her grandmother and grandfather and me into her car and whisked us off at high spped speed to Upham's Corner, by a very pleasant route. One of her little bots rode the first part of the way with us, and she dro dropped him off at the place where he takes his music lessons. It was a red letter day to me, and a great treat. Ella asked about you both, and if I took away your characters, it was to your own fault for not beeing there to defend them. It is easy to talk to herj especially if you are on the right i si side. She is only sloghtly deaf; and the same is true of Dr. Stearns. She has sprained her ankle. It is nearly well, but she still has to fa favor it. I think she said that last year she went to the Commencement of Dr. Stearn's alma mater, and so she told him it was only fair that this year he should come to hers. This letter is typewritten because I wanted to send a copy to each of you. I hope to get off to Chilman about July 10, but have no end of thi things to clear off first. Good luck and a happy summer to you both, and a speedy reztoration of health to B. K. Yours always affectionately, 16 Pine St. Hamilton N.Y. Sept. 11th 1931 Dear Dini: What a long time it seems since last B.U. commencement! I thought where I came home that I should be writing you right away. But alas! and alas! for human frailty. I have looked back so many times to the beautiful time we had together. One of my daughter's-in-law says it was worth the trip to see Alice Blackwell - and I quite agree with her. To be sure I imagine that I wouldn't have been as [?] if Harriet and Cadge could have been there, and we would have dug up many a reminiscence out of the past, one thing suggesting another. But as it was I saw more of you and was made very happy by the little visit at Eliza's. That was a compensation for the loss otherwise. And that was a lovely note you wrote Eliza and I thank you for it. All of it together was touch of happiness and blessing for me in the years to come. Eliza was a month with her family at a camp in Maine, and afterwards she had a week with a friend prowling around in the by-ways of Cape Cod. My some William completed his cottage at Oak Bluffs. It was an Aladdin and he took a month to bring it to completion. So we didn't get a glimpse of them this summer - the only one of the family that we didn't have a sight of sometime, somewhere. My two oldest sons and their wives were home for a brief visit, so we have that pleasure to cheer us thru the long winter. We haven't made definite plans for the winter. Mr. S. would like a month in Washington. I want to go to Florida again, and escape the ice and snow of the north. For beauty of scenery Florida doesn't begin to match the north. It is too flat, and little variety in its trees. But it is a better winter climate and it was good for us to be there. One of my neighbors who is moving away has just finished reading "Lucy Stone" which she enjoyed very much. I shall enjoy loaning it to others. I am so glad to have it. I wondered for years where the book was that you were going to write. I am writing this letter now for a birthday greeting to you. "The Lord bless thee and keep thee. The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace!" Lovingly Ella M. Stearns 16 Pine St. Hamilton N. Y. May 20" 1934 Dear Dimi: (*ASB*) Before your enclosed card of Hattie's came I had already received a clipping from the paper which told the story and had in it a picture of Mr. Ford, and Mrs. Evans pinning the medal on to you. I was thrilled and most happy not only for your sake, but because [the] the things that you have given your life to accomplish, have been accomplished and have received recognition. It gives me a stronger feeling that this old world of ours isn't going to the dogs yet. But there are so many that haven't had a chance - And you have been helping to give some of them a chance, and I thank God for you! You will go on trying to give somebody a chance as long as you have breath- and it will be a collective and lasting good that will go on long after you are gone. You would have heard from me sooner, but we have been away to the Centennial of the Church in Glenn Falls of which Mr. Stearns was pastor for twelve years many years ago. We were so wonderfully received that I am not sure that I shall dare to go again, for fear the glamour will be gone. We had some lovely rides - Fort Ticonderoga - Chestertown, Lake George etc. Will you be in Martha's Vineyard this summer? My son has set the time for us to be there- but we can't quite make plans yet. If we do we'll get a peep at you. With love and warmest congratulations. Dimi [*Ella M. Stearns*] Ellen M. Starnes [*From Ella Abbot Stearns*] MRS. WILLIAM O. STEARNS 16 PINE STREET HAMILTON, N. Y. Oct 28" 1936 Dear Dimi: What a dreadful creature I am! There is really no sufficient excuse for my delay in writing you, though we have both been ill and Mr. Stearns was in bed for two days. I got along with it better than I would have expected, so I'm happy in the thought that I'm improving in health and strength. I can sympathize with you in the matter of moving. It does take so much out of you. It is a great satisfaction to me that we are in our own home, and won't probably have to move again. I did enjoy your letter and the pictures. Your mother was certainly a sweet woman and certainly tainly a happy and successful one in having accomplished all that she did. Her daughter has carried on in an equally worthy way and still continues her good work. I am glad to think of you in all these ways, and still more that I have had the good fortune to know you just you. "Peace be unto you!" I thought I had lost your book about your mother "Lucy Stone" The woman to whom I lent it had died, and after a long time her daughter came across it and returned it to me. I was full of regrets that it was gone. So now I have one more thing to be thankful for. Mr. Stearns was in Cambridge for the Harvard Centenary. He enjoyed it so much, and I did - the little that I got over the Radio. I shall probably have a grandson in Harvard next year, Eliza's second son Tom. Her eldest son Richard is having his junior year at Munich. He went from Haverford college. Her third son will be ready for college in two years. He may go to Yale. I saw the Yale buildings last summer. Eliza drove us over from her cottage. We went there from the Vineyard and spent two weeks with her. We drove all around in Conn. It is a beautiful part of the country. It is beautiful every where I go. How can it help being in the summer time? Dr. Bowman, Eliza's husband has charge of the Psychopathic end of Belleview Hospital. Eliza doesn't enjoy living in New York as well as she did in Newton Center. It was hard to leave her many friends. Of course she is in much smaller quarters in New York. Her husband is happy in his work there. We expect to spend Christmas in Plainfield with Allan and his family. He will take us into New York to see Eliza and her family, so it will be a little piece of a family reunion. I shall hope to see you next summer in Martha's Vineyard. It seems to be a forgone conclusion that we are to spend two weeks there every summer. Meantime I hope you will give yourself a chance to rest and keep rested, for there is more yet for you to do. Always with love "Dimi" 16 Pine Hamilton N.Y. Dec. 16th 1937 My dear Dimi: It is a joy to receive your usual Christmas message and a grief to know that your eyes are giving out. They have done valiant work for you in all the years. You had lots of energy and courage to get out new editions of the two books of which I have copies. My daughter-in law was thrilled with "Lucy Stone" and asked to keep it longer than she felt justified in doing without asking permission. You have lived enough to fill two or three lives, and we have it to be thankful for that there are such as you, thinking and planning and working for human betterment all the time. You are entitled to a well-earned rest, and I'm sure you have stamina and patience and facility enough to take that rest calmly and contentedly. You are proof of the saying "It is better to wear out than to rest out" especially when the wearing out shows such splendid results. I have had two breakdowns, I remember when I lay in bed the first time, I thought to myself "Oh, if I could only take care of myself." I think of that sometimes now when I have to call a halt in my efforts. It is like you to feel as Tennyson did when he wrote the lines "So many worlds - so much to do such things to be." To each one of us it all seems so meager what we are accomplishing. But in your case it is not meager. The Lord be praised! I have appreciated very much what you have sent me with your picture added to make the articles more complete. Forgive me for not acknowledging them. Inquired for you for Chilmark last summer. Our best to you for Christmas and the New Year. Ellen Abbot Stearns Dear Dini: so glad to get your usual Christmas card. You are going to make folks happy as long as there is breath left in you. You are sure to do something to "make the world better" and happier. We are pegging along - not quite so good eyes of or ears as we once head but plenty of friends and opportunities. I wish we had opportunities to offer these days of so much need. The husband of one of my daughters is out of a job but there are so many of us that the family will not suffer. Here's to you for the best year ever. With much love, Ella M. Stearns Hamilton N.Y. Dec 13th Newton Centre June 28" Cadge and Alice: Dear children, Instead of coming myself I send my cousin with this document which I assure you is of vast importance to me. Knowing how absolutely necessary occasional sprees are to your existence especially Cadgers, I wish to lengthen your life a little by proposing that you make the scene of your next spree Newton Centre. Next Monday, July 5th is of no account as a matter of fact now a-days, but if you have previous engagements I will allow you to defer your visit to this place till Tuesday July 6th. I am going to have a dressmaker soon after that and as soon as she is through we are off to Maine Please do not disappoint me. I want to see you both here very much and there is no way to arrange it unless you come then. The train for you to take will leave the B. & A. station at 9.45. That will give Cadge time to get in from Attleborough. The next train after that will leave Boston at 12:15 but you must come on the earlier one. My three visitors left this afternoon. I shall conclude my domestic duties if fortune favors me next Saturday night, all except the churning. That is my special prerogative! The cow and calf and horse are all very well thank you. Received a nice letter from Leila last night. She is enjoying the birds and the sky and the trees as usual. You are to stay all night of course and as late into the next day as possible. This is a proper kind of letter. The subjects are all kept separate you see. I am all out of boot blacking but I will wear a pair of new boots that don't need blacking while Cadge is here. I have mended my dress too and so far as I know it is all right. I shall be at the station on the arrival of the 9.45 train next Monday or Tuesday whichever you decide upon. Be sure and take the right train as cars leave the same station for Newton which is two miles from Newton Centre. Also take a car forward of the smoking car as the rear cars go only to Brookline. Heaps of love till I see you. Ellen Mehitable Abbott Leslie Ballard, aged 45 Sporting ed of Springfield [Un] married 16 yrs 1 son, after [be?y] Allan Beecher, 44 Plainfield, but business in Newark, publicity manager Am Tel & Telegraph Co for NJ 1 son 1 daughter Eliza Bowman (Betty) 866 [Bea?] Newton Centre Karl M. Bowman, M.D. Med Director of Psychopathic Hospital, Boston 4 sons Helen Sybil, married Prof Jesse S. Boughton, Gettysburg (Pa) College, teaches philosophy 1 son & 1 daughter, 9 & 11, & twin boys a year old Wm. O. Stearns Jr., teaching Eng in White Plains NY high school, 1 daughter Jane Abbott (over) 2 Pastor of Couple for 10 years Baptist REV. WILLIAM O. STEARNS, D.D. 16 Pine Street HAMILTON, NEW YORK Charles, unmarried, in Passaic, N. J. Landscape gardening, making a children's park. "His work is movable." Last Xmas had family reunion at restaurant in White Plains/ "The Fireplace" Ella has brother in Va invited them to spend Feb, & they did, but bro was in hospital all month - St Petersburg - sprained her ankle - Tampa - Edward Bok tower (beautiful spot - highest pt in Fla & wonderfully landscaped - at head of pool, beautifully carved tinted marble - Tarpon Springs FIFTY HAPPY YEARS GOLDEN WEDDING ANNIVERSARY ELLEN M. ABBOTT- WILLIAM O. STEARNS HAMILTON, N.Y. OCTOBER 15, 1934 When H again draws near It wakes fond thoughts of you my dear Your dark, sweet eyes beautiful my heart With innocent but deep Black Art When we were girls - It's But long ago, still it sets my heart aglow Through years the your spell still stronger green As now your excellent view. 'Twill hold me till our lives shall end, Your warm [admirer?], loving friend A.S.B Transcribed and reviewed by contributors participating in the By The People project at crowd.loc.gov.