File:Frances (Appleton) Longfellow to Mary (Longfellow) Greenleaf, 19 September 1849 (4bba7e02-2be2-45e6-ae8d-0e3bbafb52d2).jpg

Manuscript letter

Archives Number: 1011/002.001-019#024

Craigie House
Thursday Sept 19th 1849.
Dear Mary,
It was very pleasant to get a glimpse of James the other day. We only wished it had been a longer one, for I had hardly time to hear how you all were. Our friends the Liebers passed ten days whit us, & were very agreeable. He is a particularly entertaining man, having a mind richly stored & able to pour it forth fluently in conversation. She is very affectionate & gentle, & they both enjoy much a visit to the North, feeling Columbia a kind of second exile. They left us on Tuesday, & Castle Craigie seems now quite solitary & silent.
Your friends the Duncan’s I saw [p. 2] once, & was sorry their visit should have been saddened by the illness of their brother. She seems to be a sensible, good woman.
My father returned from Pittsfield on Saturday, & brought me the sad news of my uncle Gardiner’s death – in Texas. Not from Cholera, but from some chronic disease. I was particularly attached to him, & tho’ much separated from him of late years, felt very near to him in affection. His overflowing kindness, gentleness & piety made all love him that knew him, & his tender devotion to my brother Charles, during his last illness, had bound me to him most warmly. The Pittsfield circle is almost wholly gone, but I trust happily reunited in that happier home where change & sorrow are unknown. I feel as [p. 3] if I had come to that time in life when I begin to count friends by the few left. Poor Mrs Gardiner was with him, & I suppose will remain with Sarah. A few days since a mysterious bundle of clthes appeared, left by some people in a wagon. I conclude them to be Stephen’s long missing ones from Brattleboro’ - & shall send them on to Portland when I get an opportunity. The children are very well, Charley feeling very grand & manly in being promoted to a blouse & long trousers. They have just received from pretty toys from Uncle Sam – a furnished kitchen &c, which highly delight them. They send much love to dear Grandmama. Mrs Sumner asks much about her, & thinks she shall make a visit to Portland to see her next summer. [p. 4] Mr Winthrop’s engagement to Mrs Wells, - Mrs Sumner’s neice [sic], gives her family great joy. They will be married before he goes to Washington. She is a very excellent person, & will make a [crossed out: good] most kind mother to his children. She has only one of her own left, having lost all the rest.
Henry is waiting for this, & hurrying me to lightning speed, so that I can only remember to send much love to all.
ever yr affte
Fanny E.L.
My brother has sent us a beautiful sunny landscape for our dining room. When shall I see you?
ENDORSED: SUMMER [?] 1849

• Keywords: correspondence; long archives; frances e. a. longfellow papers (long 20257); frances elizabeth (appleton) longfellow; people; document; events; death; subject; social life; Correspondence (1011/002); (LONG-SeriesName); Letters from Frances Longfellow (1011/002.001); (LONG-SubseriesName); 1849 (1011/002.001-019); (LONG-FileUnitName)