Letter from Ann Stevens, dated 1861-06-16

Faerrisburgh 6th Mo- 16th 1861

Beloved cousin Thy kind and very welcome letter ought to have been acknowledged on this time, but a variety and multiplicity of little concerns have kept mind and body pretty contantly employed, - or else fatigued me so much as to unfit me for writing. - I have thought of thee a great deal, and resolved several time - to write- without fail, - but alas! for many of our resolves, - how soon they may be thwarted by some unforseen occurrance; _ I had not expected company- but twice when preparing to write- company came. We were glad to hear of thy safe arrival at home, and that thou found all well there, and should have been much gratified, if thou couldn't have known beforehand that dear Ann wasn't coming so soon as thou supposed, - it would have been so pleasant to have thee with us longer. I feel much sympathy with thee my dear cousin, in this seperation from a precious daughter, for it must be no small trial, - [?] thou hast a beloved companion and friend, - which must be a great comfort to thee, - I hope much for dear Mary- from this tarriance at the sea-side, and wish she may be in no haste to resume her household cares, - health is of so much importance, that most other things sum to be of minor consideration, or ought to be so, - when brought into comparision. I hope thou hast heard from thy Timothy or this, - for in these "troublous" times"- every Mother's heart is ancious for her sons- espceially if thy are away from her and we know not, what severe trials we may yet have to endure on account of this dreadful war. Hast thousum a price of Whittiers, in the Daily Tribune th, with a German heading, - Luther's Hymn,- it is most excellent and appropriate I

think, - I hope thou will see it. I [?] would send the paper, if all had read it. - [Tho?] asks to hear of our dear ones at Waterloo, - we hear from them once a week regularly, - and oftener, occasuionally: - they are pretty well, but have not yet entirely recovered from home-sickness. - Lloyd has been about as much affected by it as any of them, Ann thinks; his knee has been very troublesome, so has his cough, for they have all had colds, - their place is very pleasant Ann writes - many beauties around it, all very nice and convenient, - but it is not dear Vermont - his childhood's home, and the precious children feel that it. is not their home, so that dear Ann has a double portion to hear but she strives to hear it bravely: - in one of her letters she says, "I ask myself again and again, What is life worth separated so far, from my beloved parents and brothers"? her heart is wih us, as ours is with them, it still feels very, very lonely without them, and when this feeling will pass away I know not. - Ann was without help for sometime, at last as they could find none near, Lloyd decided t try Rochester, - he there obtained two Irish girls and for about three weeks A. felt as if she had excellent aids - but one day the oldest took offence at some suggestion about the business, and gave notice that she should leave, and the other thought she should be too lonely, if she staid, - so both left, - and Lloyd was trying to get two German girls, - dear A. says "I hope this lesson will teach me not to put "My" trust in Princes" - "especially if descended from Irish Kings". - There is a woman near, who can assist her in various ways, and appears thus far to be very kind and willing.

I know the dear child must have trials, but she endeavors to keep a bright heart - and [hope an?], is very anxious that we should visit her this summer but as the times are - it does not seem practicable, money is very scarce in this section.

it would afford us as much pleasure as human beings can expect or desire,[?] of an outward nature - to vit them, - but I think we shall have to sacrifice our gratification to prudence - for the present. - Sister Ann had but arrived when we [?heard] from them last, - tho' they had written for her to set the time when Lloyd should meet her at Elmira, - the point designated by her; we feel quite anxious to hear again, fearing that her "preparation" may have weakened her [down?].

I have not seen dear Charlotte, nor the children since Third Month, - and the time seems very long, and we have not heard directly from them since lttle Rowly made his visit there the week before he left for Wa[teron?] - it seems very strange that C. does not write, for I have written to her three times, since reciving any letter from her, and twice to Willy, and once to Sarah, - I am not mistaken about this, if I were so badly about thy letter, for I have the dates,. - We have fixed upon two different times to visit them but each time have heard from some of the connections that they were intending to come to Ferrisburgh taht week, but as the day was not known we thought best to defer going, - and each time have been disappointed. I hope we shall go soon, for it is very hard for me to see and hear so little of them, - I know dear C. has much to employ her time and thoughts, - but it would not take her very long to write a few lines, - and I would be very glad of a few.

A few days ago thy cousin R. was up at the Mills, and there [?] unexpectedly - and pleasantly too - met with Samuel and Betsey [Peash?] on the way from Iowa - had just arrived. They bring intelligence that [H.?] Miles is prospering in "worldly gear", but could tell nothing about poor Thomas - in whom we feel most interested, - thou will see them most likely and will learn more than I can tell, for thy couin saw them only a short time, and others were talking with them. - We feel that thy cousin R. is decidedly better - he rides out quite often, went to Middlebury [?] two days - and came home improved, - goes about

on the farm to see how the work progresses, and has cut a good many potatoes for planting; - thou will discover by this that we have cause heart-felt gratitude, - and reason to hope that with proper care he may be very comfortable and even smart again. - My health is nothing to boast of. I try to save myself - and be useful too, but cannot always succeed, I suppose it would be better economy to keep more quiet - if I saw the way to do it, - perhaps it will open by and by, - but I am not at all fit for the place I have to occupy now, - either in body or mind.

The season with us has been cold, wet and rather discouraging, - until a week ago, or so, - since then we have had some extremely warm days, with one or two sudden changes to uncomfortably cold without fire., to-day the house is shut up, and fire seems necessary; - a good many have been obliged to plant corn the second time, - we amongst the number, it was so cold and that it rotted in the ground. - There is small hope of fruit except currants, - the orchards show a very few blossoms. - We felt quite sorry that the orchard for which dear cousin Stephen had toiled so much, had to be removed, - and yet, it was probably quite best; but it is very hard to see the work of loved hands,destroyed, - and to feel,that they can never be replaced.

[Moses Bedee?] left for his home a week ago last Fifth-day, was much better we heard and T. Noonan went with them to Rutland.

Give our love to all thine and accept a large share thyself, and when thou hast leisure, do write again to thy truly attached cousin Rachel Robinson

P.S. Our young pear orchard is nearly dead - last summer's drought, the wet fall and hard winter was too much for such young trees, - thy cousin R. has little hope of it now, - but it will avail nothing to be troubled about it.