Letter recounting Mother's last hours and farewells to the family at her bedside

Two facing handwritten pages continuing the letter on Mother’s death — part of the 1874 Barker family death cluster. The dying ‘Mother’ is Ellen Milliken Barker (1807-1874); the writer is her daughter Susan Milliken Barker; the addressee is her sister Ellen Milliken Barker Porcher; ‘Tody’ is Theodore Gaillard Barker; ‘Kate’ is Kate Barker (her sister, the household nurse who took over by Mother’s bedside); ‘little Thomas’ the writer specifies separately from ‘Thomas’ (an adult Thomas was present and kissed Mother; she then said ‘no, little Thomas’ — distinguishing a child Thomas she wanted to see). ‘Mary’ is a sister or family member who gave a message to Sam (the recipient’s son, dying earlier in 1874). Adam and John are also called for by Mother and come. The narrative recounts Mother’s last farewells: each family member as they happened to be went and kissed her; she looked earnestly, calmly, and lovingly but could not speak. After Thomas kissed her and went away, she called for him again — ‘no, little Thomas’ — and ‘Adam, John’. Mary then asked Tody (in a whisper) if she could say something to Mother; Mary gave Mother a message to Sam, asking afterwards if she heard her. Mother’s face brightened, and with a great effort she said ‘oh yes, dear little fellow, I will see him first’. Tody went upstairs after kissing her; Kate took the post by Mother — speaking for her what she tried to say, with Mother pressing Kate’s hand or kissing Kate to send the kisses on to the absent ones. She would say a few words distinctly, as if thinking aloud. She looked earnestly at Tody once & said ‘I thought when I was [continues]’. In ‘asked her if she heard her’, Mary is asking Mother whether Mother had heard Mary’s message. Mother’s dying speech distinguishes ‘Thomas’ from ‘little Thomas’. Letter continues.

Letter continues on next page.