folder 12: June 1852

[written in pencil, in square brackets, top left] Miss Florence B. King c/o Mr. Charles Picot Philadelphia, Pa.

[top right] 1^st June 1852

My own beloved Florence

I doubt much this letter finding you in Philadelphia - as in my last letter I requested you if possible to leave No 15 before M^r Picot took his departure for France. I have written to your Aunt Mary today on the subject of your remaining at least for a while under her care. Oh! my own dear Flora it does seem as if the sick-ness on this place is never to be done. Poor Sukey died this morning. Liddy & Linda are yet in a very precarious state. I have great dread lest the death of their mother will have a serious effect on them. We attribute poor Sukeys [sic] death to her grief for Mily. She seemed to bear Emolines [sic] death as well as we could expect, but when Mily died she seemed plunged into a state of apathy from which nothing could rouse her, on Saturday her fever returned & we could do nothing to save her. We were thrown into great alarm on Tuesday last by a singu-lar turn in Franks [sic] case. D^r Wilson had prescribed for Frank then he was 4 days under D^r Dunham & considered by him as well as by Cousin A. and M^r Woolly [sic] to be out of danger. When all at once he began to bleed from the inner part of his cheeks — his gums — black spots appear-ed all over his body - William Couper pronounced it to be "ship fever". We had him carried into the old cotton barn — and as Pussy had been his nurse all along she had to go there too. We sent for D^r Wilson — who never came until one oclock that night — & greatly re-

lieved us by saying that all their alarming symptoms had been occasioned by some disorganization of his blood vessels, that all those black spots were the opening of veins in the skin & that he was bleeding as much internally as he was from his mouth. That it was not contagious was a great relief. And we felt content to part with poor Frank if with him this awful complaint would cease. Thou throughout the whole the poor boy is composed quiet & uncomplaining — all he seems to care for is some thing to eat. We let him have whatever he fancies & strange to say he is not only alive but the bleeding is less. What I should have done had I been alone all this time I know not. My dear Cousin & her good hus-band are devoted to my sick - Mr. Woolley leaves me tomorrow but our dear Cousin will remain a short time longer with me. They had intended starting for the North by the 1^st of July. May God! bless & reward them for their devotion to my poor suffering negros [sic] —

Your dear little brothers are quite well - poor little fellows they have had a long holiday now, for of course I have no time to attend to their lessons —

I am distressed at not having heard from either of you by the last mail - you must not neglect to write to my me my darlings - for I need all the comfort your letters can give me. I cannot bear the idea of bringing you home in July, or August. I must try & find the means of keeping you all at the North until it will be safe for you to return home - This is my present feeling—Oh! my Florence if you were here you would

feel how wrong it is that any one should trifle with good health. It is a blessing not to be slighted. I do hope & trust you beloved girls will be careful of your health - I would I could give you one of my long letters, but I could not write today - & I wish to get M^r Woolley to take these letters & have them mailed in B for me. As Charles is our only boy & M^r Dunham being sick I do not like to take him Charles from him.

Your little brothers are quite well — Willie had a little fever last Saturday but William was here yesterday & said he was quite well again. Dear Tootee & the rest are in good health. My health of body is perfectly good. Mrs Gale is better than I have seen her for some months. Kiss over & over again my precious Georgia & Appy for me & tell them to kiss you as many times Your Brothers - Cousins & Mrs. Gale send much love to you all. Never since or before I heard of the illness of your dear Father in 1849 have I suffered in mind what I have endured the last three weeks. But God! is good — is merciful — as yet I am enabled to bear my trials, great as they are — they can be far worse.

Do you my beloved children try & be a comfort to your devoted mother. And may the God! of mercies permit us all to meet again in happiness is the constant prayer of your devoted Mother.

AM King

[top right] Hamilton 5^th June 1852 —

My beloved Father,

I have but a few moments but hasten to write a few lines to tell you of my dear Mother -- She wrote you yesterday and told you all that has passed within the last two months at Retreat -- Her health has suffered severely and D^r Curtis says there is no remedy for her present state of nervous derangement except either change of scene and climate and after much entreaty and feeling herself that neither mind or body can long stand such nervousness — she has consented very reluctantly to do as he advises and as we anxiously beg first she thought of going alone with Mrs & Mr Woolley who I know would do all that is kind and in their power to take care of her and the dear boys — But my dear father I think you would prefer that my husband your son in law - should be her escort — so as he thinks the same and my dear Mother only refuses as she fears

my being left alone — I insist that he shall go - And dear Father you may be sure that he will take all care of her - Pray dear Father with Mother approving of this move for she has taken it into her nervous head that you Father dear may not like it — I know my Father that if your voice could be heard from that far off land it would be loud in your wish for her to go — as indeed I and Dr C — & all of us think that if she remains here there is no telling how long we may have her with us — It will benefit her so much — It is a sad tryal [sic] to me but I never think of that and shall do all I can to look after and arrange her house till [sic] she comes home — & shall write her often — She will be so happy to rejoin her three girls and who so fit a protector for them as our beloved Mother - Floyd & Tip too will be much improved by a quarters [sic] schooling — Then Dear Lord & Mal will soon be able to go and remain with her so she will have 7 of her children to comfort her in this new place and your long absence — Oh how delightful to me when they come