Letter describing Mother's last illness, pages 6 and 7

A handwritten letter spread, two facing pages numbered 6 and 7 at the top center. Cursive in brown ink.

Left page (6)

but she added with one of the little gasping sighs that followed every emotional excitement during her sickness “If I am not strong enough to see him today he can come tomorrow.” On Monday she looked at Tody & said “what is the meaning of this delay.” It was not always easy to tell what she meant, & she had wandered so much, but Tody smoothed her hair back & told her it was altogether in Gods hands & no human agency could determine. She asked me one morning early “is this my last day” & another day morning she looked at me with her old anxious look & said “is this another day” — After Sunday the anxiety of Manner & countenance passed away from her entirely

Right page (7)

It must seem to you contradictory to hear that she had strength & yet excessive weakness — but the Doctors saw signs of strength in her pulse & she could the last few hours assist in turning herself, but the dear hands trembled even when lying still on the pillows, & her voice was weak, & then her tongue becoming hard & dry made utterance very difficult. Her hair never tangled, & the expression of her hands was just perfect all through — Her habitual motions with them went on — you know how she used to put the ends of her fingers together — also with one thumb touch the ends of each finger on that hand — Sometimes she would feels the buttons on her gown as she used to do those on her dress — at other times she would cross her hands on her neck & from time to time fold the fingers together, then I am sure she was praying