Letter from M.B. Orcutt, dated 1862-02-16

Henry Foster's. What a pleasant family they are and what a comfortable home they have. I wondered very much how Mary could think of exchanging it for one with Austin Templeton. Oh Willie when and how is this terrible war to end, for my part I see very little encourgement to look for a speedy close we have been hoping something would be done but it seems awful to hope so far no movement can be made but at the cost of human life and how many motheres wives sister's and daughter's hearts are already bleeding for those who have already fallen. I had a long letter from thy uncle John he was in Ill. on business for the Goverment bying five hundred tons of hay if he succeeds as he hopes to he thinks it will be a good thing for him he has great confidence in Timothy has left him in charge of his family and business and expects every thing will go on well. I hope thee will not let trifles hinder thee from writing home thee knows how anxious mother would be if she did'nt hear from thee and write to me as soon as convenient Nathan unites in sending love to thee Remember me to Henry I am &c Mary B.

[in right margin:]

Orcutt.

[page break]

East Montpelier 2nd mo th 16th 1862

My dear Willie

I wishe thee could sit down here between mother and me and let us tell thee all we want to say instead of communicating it in this dull way but as that cannot be it is an inestimable privilege to be able to write. It would be very natural for thee to think I was enjoying myself this winter and I expected I should very much but it is not often that we realize our anticipations. It has proved so in my case. We had scarcely got settled here before mother went to Ferrisburgh and staid three weeks [deleted]but[/deleted] she returned a week ago yesterday but she has been so unwell almost ever since that we couldnt visit much she seemed to have a hard cold and her cough has been

very troublesome but she is better to day and I hope will soon be quite well. Sis Mary is pretty smart she has been here three times since mother came home it does her good to ride and she enjoys it much though the roads are in a bad state not from mud as with you but the hollows are so deep and frequent that if we go fast we are thrown from our seats. We went to Horace's last first day and had the pleasure of seeing thy long good letter to Howard. I think it quite an attainment to be able to write so as to interest children brother John's daughters write to me and I like very much to have them but I am more at a loss to know what to say to them than almost any one else. Jamie returned last sixth day and it would do thee good to see him he looks so healthy and fleshy he is going back to school

[page break]

this spring. Is'nt Thomas a good brother to be willing to spare him he has hired Horace Steward. I suppose he is first rate help but he has to pay high seventeen dollars per month. Thomas has a fine lot of hay in the barn and he takes cattle to keep overnight for Jerome he has just come with some. I saw aunt Paulina to meeting she was very affectionate but how old and pale and feeble she looks. Uncle Timothy seems as smart as he did a year ago. George was there too with his new great coat on it is almost white with drab colored buttons binding and collar it does not look very well on him. Orlana staid here while mother was gone and I think she is a pleasant agreeable girl and a good tidy and economical house keeper she and Thomas had a good many pleasant rides together.

Uncle Nathan and I visited at

East Montpelier 2nd month 16th 1862

My dear Willie

I wishe thee could set down here between mother and me and let us tell thee all we want to say instead of communicating it in this dull way but as that cannot be it is an inestimable privilege to be able to write. It would be very natural for thee to think I was enjoying myself this winter and I expected I should very much but it is not often that we realize our anticipations. It has proved so in my case. We had scarcely got settled here before mother went to Ferrisburgh and staid three weeks. She returned a week ago yesterday but she has been so unwell almost ever since that we couldn't visit much. She seemed to have a hard cold and her cough has been very troublesome but she is better today and I hope will soon be quite well. Sis Mary is pretty smart she has been here three times since mother came home. It does her good to ride and she enjoyed it much, though the roads are in a bad state, not from mud as with you, but the hollows are so deep and frequent that if we go fast we are thrown from our seats. We went to Horace's last first day and had the pleasure of seeing thy good long letter to Howard. I think it quite an attainment to be able to write so as to interest children. Brother John's daughter write to me and I like very much to have them but I am more at a loss to know what to say to them than almost any one else. Jamie returned last sixth day and it would do thee good to see him. He looks so healthy and fleshy. He is going back to school this spring. Isn't Thomas a good brother to be willing to spare him. He has hired Horace Steward. I suppose he is first rate help but he has to pay high - seventeen dollars per month. Thomas has a fine lot of hay in the barn and he takes cattle to keep over night for Jerome. He has just come with some. I saw Aunt Paulina to meeting - she was very affectionate but how old and pale and feeble she looks. Uncle Timothy seems as smart as he did a year ago. George was there too with his new great coat on. It is almost white with drab colored buttons binding and collar. It does not look very well on him. Orlana stayed here while mother was gone and I think she is a pleasant agreeable girl and a good tidy and economical house keeper. She and Thomas had a good many pleasant rides together.

Uncle Nathan and I visited at Henry Foster's. What a pleasant family they are and what a comfortable home they have. I wondered very much how Mary could think of exchanging it for one with Austin Templeton.

Oh Willie, when and how is this terrible war to end? For my part I see very little encouragement to look for a speedy close. We have been hoping something would be done but it seems awful to hope so for no movement can be made but at the cost of human life and how many mother's wives' sisters' and daughters' hearts are already bleeding for those who have already fallen.

I had a long letter from thy Uncle John. He was in Ill. on business for the government, buying five hundred tons of hay. If he succeeds as he hopes to he thinks it will be a good thing for him. He has great confidence in Timothy, has left him in charge of his family and business and expects every thing will go on well. I hope thee will not let trifles hinder thee from writing home. Thee knows how anxious mother would be if she didn't hear from thee and write to me as soon as convenient. Nathan united in sending love to thee.

Remember me to Henry .I am _ Mary B. Orcutt

Mary Orcutt to Willie Stevens, Februrary 16. 1862, Stevens Family Papers, Box 41, Folder 12, Rokeby Papers.