Newberry Library - DeWitt, Elizabeth Anna Rich (half-sister), to Anna Mayo Stevens Rich Metcalf (mother), Isaac Stevens Metcalf family papers, 1840-1846

DeWitt, Elizabeth Anna Rich (half-sister), to Anna Mayo Stevens Rich Metcalf (mother), Isaac Stevens Metcalf family papers, 1840-1846

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Open book DeWitt, Elizabeth Anna Rich (half-sister), to Anna Mayo Stevens Rich Metcalf (mother), Isaac Stevens Metcalf family papers, 1840-1846

Title DeWitt, Elizabeth Anna Rich (half-sister), to Anna Mayo Stevens Rich Metcalf (mother), Isaac Stevens Metcalf family papers, 1840-1846

Creator Metcalf, Isaac Stevens, 1822-1898

Date 1840-1846

Place United States

Subjects Bowdoin College, Brothers and sisters, DuQuoin Coal Company, Illinois Central Railroad Company

Format Business records, Correspondence, Diaries, Genealogies, Invoices, Manuscripts, Personal narratives, Records

User-Contributed Transcription To all the folks whom it may concern, Foxcroft Aug 24th 1843Almeda I have thought considerable about your Lucy's state of health since I came from there andI wonder you don't all of you feel more the importance of doing something about it. It would be no sleightevil to have her a poor, sickly, deformed, humpbacked invalid all her days situated as you are, you will verymuch need the efficient help of an eldest daughter: I take it the best remedy is a great deal of free, healthy physicalexercise, accompanied by a pleased interested state of mind. I would have her today with other children asmuch as practicable, and ride whenever convenient, and especially learn to jump the rope, which you knowexercises the shoulders and expands the chest. I should think if James comes up here with his wool, he might as he hasnot a large quantity, take in both the children of a Saturday morning early, and carry me back with them(have a cricket in, the wagons) then Lucy or Eliab could come back with me Mond. morn and they would either of themin my opinion do the more work in a week. It seems to me that all of you are too much absorbed withthe corroding and contracting rest of anxiety to gain the means of living and do not think enough ever for her pecuniaryillness, - of the embellishments and enjoyments of life, since occasional relaxation. How rarely is there anythingamong you to call forth the pleasurable emotions of gratitude to God in the enjoyment of this passinglife, or of kindly feelings of enjoyments in each other, to counteract the many rough, grating, disconsolant feelingsthat are daily brought into excuse whose effect is, to blunt the finer feeling of the soul, and produce sordid selfishness.A want of interest in, and communication with others around is, it seems to me, a prominent fault in us as a family,and has had it, legitimate effect upon our own interests and circumstances, as well as upon our minds and characters!We are looked upon rather with suspicion than interest by others, and lose how many opportunities of gaining advantages.How differently should I have been situated now, in all business probability had I improved all the opportunities Ihave slighted of gaining benefits. The bump of caution is too largely developed in all of us from oldest to youngest, wecannot run any risk, or take any step out of the common course, for fear of something, we know not what; I expectJoseph's excellent plan of going up the Arostook and taking a school there will fail him want of courageor from being too late about it: young Carpenter has lately, returned from Dennisfield WashingtonCo, where he has been teaching nine months at 25 dollars per month; I heard him say that theywanted him again, but he was not going: perhaps if Isaac had courage enough to take the necessarypains he might get such an opportunity, they have a school fund and do not employ female teachers.Had you not better fix Eliab out to commence the term, and let him have one whole quarters schoolingat once, which he has never yet had, anywhere, and study Algebra and Surveying. If Joseph could makehimself thoroughly acquainted with surveying and go up to Aroostook he might perhaps do well. I have notsaid anything about this school for I and I suspect there will be two or three applicants here, I wish Charlesinstead of painting his house, would lay out the money in preparing to go to housekeeping, get two rooms donemarry Lucy Hale, or some other clever girl before thanksgiving, and live there this winter all alone with hiswife, while he is finishing off the rent, and let the painting go till another year.And now to the business part of my letter which is to propose for the consideration of all of you,a plan which popped into my head a day or two since, and has rested there ever since, Miss Cavennethe famous new teacher, will have six or eight scholars in music: she has a piano, and will board next houseto me where she has a room to receive her music scholars separate from the school, or school hours,at $5,00 each ear quarter. Now I could probably take lessons of her at most any hour I should choose,and by paying a trifle more, could practise upon her piano and should be here four weeks without anyexpense of board then by staying three or four weeks longer, I could take the quarter's lessons (24) practisingmost all the time when my school was finished, and with an expense not exceeding $.10 could get a quarters instruction which is the common price of tuition only: then if I could procure Mrs. Wilder's instrumentfrom Williamsburgh at a reasonable hire, I could practise and practise all the next longwinter: the music would be expensive, if I had it to buy, but I could undoubtedly borrow a musicbook of Mr. Walker, that would answer every purpose and my Kingsley's choir too, is set to the piano.Now it would have been better for me to have spent two hundred dollars few years ago to learn it, but though I havehad several good chances to learn music during that time, I have had none to do it with so little expense, or when I hadso much time to practise which is I suppose the greatest part: it is true, beginning so late would be a great disadvantage,but it is frequently &c, Miss Eliis teacher of Bluehill academy older than I am, boarded at Mis. Sylvesters, last summerand took lessons on purpose to teach it, and I suppose if one is a correct player, they can teach without being veryaccomplished at it, besides with pains and perseverance, I might make considerable proficiency, and I might take aschool next winter or the one Lydia Ann is keeping, perhaps and then if we go west I might stop at Lowell a while andperfect myself under Isaac Metcalfs tuition, or of some first rate man in Boston, enough for a name, and then I thinkthat either north, south, east or west, I could find a situation to get my living better than to take any chance at commonschools with all the little country girls about here; where the more ignorant and poorer teacher is likely to be prefered.I spend four months of faithful laborious toil, and gains $.24 Miss C. in three months easy, and honourable livingreceived more than twice that sum, I have spent considerable time and expense to get fitted to redoand have laboured faithfully almost seven years, and it seems as if I ought to be able to be something better than a mere "tyrant of childhood!!" If I could in any other way than teaching, gain a comfortable living I would gladly giveup 'the struggle on the arena of public life' and according to Isaacs idea settle down in 'quiet,' but I have not any near friendwho could afford to give me a living for all I could do for them, to say nothing of laying by for old age.- Now I wantyou all to take this subject into consideration, and help me determine whether I had best make the effort,the very first step would be to ascertain whether I could obtain an instrument from Williamsburgh, as if I couldnot the plan of course would fail: Lucy might go to Ellen's and get her to go up to Williabh with her, and engage it, if it is bestto do it; Dr Snow's daughters are going to learn, and if their father is not able to purchase a piano she would perhapstry to get Mrs. Wilder's. Now it seems to me that if I could take a quarters, lessons, and have the use of a mans for $.20 it would be worth while to do it; but must be decided soon, as the school begins in thefortnight after this week and before I could make any bargain with Miss Cavenne it would be necessaryto know that I could have a piano to practise upon, after I got home, as without that, it woulddo not good to take the lessons. The more I think of the plan, the more it seems to me worthwhile to do it, if I can get a piano, and if I do any thing about that must decide thequestion. What do you say, and what will you do about it?

Transcription Status Needs review

Transcription Note This document was transcribed by volunteers as part of the Newberry Transcribe crowdsourcing initiative.

Archival Collection Title Isaac Stevens Metcalf papers, Midwest Manuscript Collection

Link to Catalog View finding aid | View record

Call Number Midwest MS Metcalf Box 1 Folder 4

BibID 821787

Rights Status No Copyright - United States

Contributing Institution Newberry Library

Newberry Open Access Policy The Newberry makes its collections available for any lawful purpose, commercial or non-commercial, without licensing or permission fees to the library, subject to these terms and conditions.

IIIF Resource Type Canvas

Size 3079px × 3852px 67.90 MB

Filename 998217878805867_mms_metcalf_box_01_fl_04_006_003.tif

Unique Identifier NL11FDEE

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