Letter from Rowland Thomas Robinson to Ann King, February 22, 1859

Ferrisburgh 2nd month 22nd 1859

Dear Sister

I suppose thou art wondering why bro R. is so remiss in answering my call for the needful. I should have written & sent thee some money long ago, but for the best of reasons - I had not the cash & knew not where to attain it. I have got a [little?] at last & now send thee a draft [underline]for fifteen dollars[/underline] which I hope will meet thy immediate necessities.

Now for a short chapter of news. Religion & measles are at present the principal topics of interest in this neighborhood, the former with the advent of short evenings warm weather & muddy roads will doubtless [deter?] though the methodists have had a pretty prosperous run & the Congregationalists have put in for a share of the spoils, tho as usual in this town have come off second best. Mrs & Miss Parker - our [back?] [house?] neighbors, have been brought into the fold of the latter church. As to the latter epidemic it has prevailed very extensively this month & is likely to continue for some time to come as several have lately come down with it & many others have been exposed who have not yet manifested the symptoms. Reuban [jr?] & Elinor Parker have had it & recovered, Hatty Hale is now confined with it & Laura Whalen has been very ill for 15 or 16 days but yesterday was better. I cannot name her disease think it is in some way connected with her domestic relations. Dr. Maxfield, whom I saw there yesterday told me he had had 200 cases of measles, in nearly all cases the disease

is of a milder type than usual. I hope thou writes to & hears from [Robt.?] E. occasionally. he is likely to lose his boarding place, Lucy having concluded to remove to [Virginia?] & open a boarding house. he has engaged [hard?] with the Hawley's - Lucy's sister in law & he seems pleased with the prospect as he must relinquish his present home which of course he would prefer to going among strangers. The tone of his last letter to me indicated some degree of discouragement from the slow progress he is making in gaining the notice & employment of publishers. He had a proposition from [S?] his instructor, to go with him to Cincinnati but the council at home protested so strongly against it that he has relinquished the prospect. He will be likely to remain in NY till the warm weather approaches. I saw James Frost a few days since who [gave?] me an item of intelligence which I know will rejoice thee as it did us - that [underline]his[/underline] [Hallett?] Thom's son James had settled all his old debts & that H. is now in easy & good circumstances. H. is as earnest a Spiritualist as ever & that reminds me of Francis [Bradbury?] who is thought to be near the transition from heart disease - and our little Isaac has had another attack of that alarming disease. the Dr. told him he must not follow farm work so he has removed to Vergennes & reengages in the [hams?] factory. Calvin also leaves us this spring so we are left to look up new & untried help. I suppose some other of the family has told thee of Ann & the children being here to spend a short vacation. they go back a week from this morning if all is well. We are much pleased to see the good effect of the change

upon the children. Rowley is attentive to his studies is more respectful in manners & his mother says he is more happy at [M.?] than at home - though he greatly prefers staying at Grandfather's & so does [Aggy?], she also is being benefitted by the restraints of boarding school life.

The Liberator comes now, I wrote to Wallcott & told him of the mistake in sending two copies to thee. shall take it, I feel the want of it when deprived of it.

Thou art not the only one who feels the want of a kindred friend with whom to speak of the passing events connected with the subject which most interests us. Spiritualism is undergoing a pretty thorough [purgation?] & I have no doubt the result will be what we all desire - a throwing off of a great amount of corrupt scum, much froth & foam in the [?] shameless impostors & those quite as shameless & no less reprehensible who, like Dr. Hatch, pursue it for the sole purpose of making money. But we have one comfort left - all these exposures, recantations & apostacies cannot disturb the foundations of true Spiritualism nor shake the confidence of those who have honestly & intelligently embraced its sublime truths. I did intend to fill my sheet but am called away & must not defer sending the draft. All well as usual & send [united?] love - mine as ever

Thy affecionate brother

Rowd. T. Robinson