Letter describing Mother's last illness, pages 10 and 11
Book 1, Page 141
Transcription
A handwritten letter spread, two facing pages numbered 10 and 11 at the top center.
Left page (10)
She tried on Saturday & on Sunday to talk, but I would always divert her — with a conscientious adherence to do as the Drs thought wisest for her recovery. At last on Sunday evening I felt as if I could not do it any longer, & told Tody I was sure she wanted to talk to us, & that he had better come & tell her that he would not feel any longer that she ought to try to stay — She showed as well as she could her great love for each of us, & did most of all to Tasy seeming to take in that for him most of all, she was necessary, & to show him how she had felt what he was to her. She said once to
Right page (11)
him, I leave my children under your eye — There was always so much difficulty in her speaking, from her weakness & the hardness of her tongue that a great deal that you would have seen, & that I could tell you about, did not come consecutively enough, to make a written account of it a natural one — I will get Kate to write too, for she talked to Mother a long time, & can tell you better than I can somethings. I have gathered the little notes that came & will send them as they come — Uncle Eddie assisted in nursing Mother day & night a great deal & I know it was a comfort to
AI Notes
Two facing handwritten pages of the same long letter on the writer’s mother’s final illness. Internal page numbers “10” (left) and “11” (right). Refers to Tody, Tasy, Kate, Mother, and Uncle Eddie nursing day and night. Continues from p140 and onto p142.
Attribution context (see also p140 note): the cluster documents the death of Ellen Milliken Barker (mother of Tody, Susan/“Sis”, and the addressee Ellen Barker Porcher), most likely written by Susan Milliken Barker. “Tasy” is a household nickname, probably for one of the youngest male relatives present at the death bed — possibly the addressee’s son or a junior Barker. “Uncle Eddie” matches the “Uncle Eddie” who appears elsewhere in the album as a deathbed nurse (p262). “Tasy” is preserved as written (likely “Tasy” or “Tassy”, a household pet-form).
Letter continues on next page.