Newberry Library - DeWitt, Elizabeth Anna Rich (half-sister), to Isaac Stevens Metcalf, Isaac Stevens Metcalf family papers, 1842-1851

DeWitt, Elizabeth Anna Rich (half-sister), to Isaac Stevens Metcalf, Isaac Stevens Metcalf family papers, 1842-1851

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Open book DeWitt, Elizabeth Anna Rich (half-sister), to Isaac Stevens Metcalf, Isaac Stevens Metcalf family papers, 1842-1851

Title DeWitt, Elizabeth Anna Rich (half-sister), to Isaac Stevens Metcalf, Isaac Stevens Metcalf family papers, 1842-1851

Creator Metcalf, Isaac Stevens, 1822-1898

Date 1842-1851

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 We took tea by invitation at Mr. Pomroy's and had a pleasant visit. Mr. P. is just as social and jolly as ever, has I think, an additional ease and elegance of manner and is rather more robust and hardy in appearance which is all the change I can discover in him.He described to us an Arab dinner to which he was invited with two or three other guests: he accepted the invitation on condition that the visit should be conducted strictly according to their customs. He arrived before the others and was conducted into a carpetted room of moderate size but very high to secure coolness: no chairs, but a low cushioned seat running all round the room about or less than a foot from the floor with cushions at the back so that one would recline rather than sit: soon after he was seated there servants came in one with something resembling a coffee pot, full of water - another with an empty vessel or tray, a third with towels: they think it an abomination to dip their hands in a dish and wash as we do but it must be running water to carry off all the filth; their habits are far removed from neatness in some other respects. - next servants brought in a censer with some aromatic gum burning, placed it before him & wrapped him in a large sheet to start he might inhale the incense; after this the mistress of the house appeared with a bottle of strong scented rose water - which she sprinkled very plentifully all over him; lastly the master of the house came seated himself near him & began a strain of compliments such as "I take the greatest delight in your company," "I feel greatly honoured that you are my guest" "This room & this house is lightened by your presence" &c.The dinner itself occupied an hour three small round tables about six inches from the floor at which he sat with feet doubled under him. I have not told you much of us of the family who abide here nor have I much to tell nor space to tell it in. J. & E. go on as usual I suppose you know more about them than I do for I see only once in a little age. My school is prosperous apparently and pleasanter than ever before but a teacher in order to be successful must be vigilant on every sideWritten up the left side:Poor Mr. Bent from Taunton succumbed yesterday at Ft. John's at church; his wife was oldest daughter to Eliab W. Metcalf of Cambridge consequently second cousin to you, He is to be settled here over the unclear society, J is coming with his family soon.

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 12

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 3192px × 3943px 72.05 MB

Filename 998217878805867_mms_metcalf_box_01_fl_12_004_003.tif

Unique Identifier NL11FDM5

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