End of letter on Mother's death; new letter dated Wednesday 17th June
Book 1, Page 148 ·1874
Transcription
A two-page handwritten spread. The left page concludes a previous letter; cross-written perpendicular text fills the upper margin. The right page opens a new letter in the same hand, headed Wednesday 17th June and addressed Dear Sis.
Left page (end of prior letter)
[Cross-writing along the upper margin, written perpendicular to the main text:]
& the quick sigh of relief showed what she meant, if we had doubted for a moment. She often failed to pronounce the name she wanted but if you said [continues onto next leaf]
The main body, written horizontally:
telling Sis Good bye, I might perhaps not see her again" — On Wednesday night, just as Louisa was going out of the room Kate said “Mother dont you want to kiss Miss Louisa” — she reached her hand a little & looked very earnestly at Louisa, & said “did I not see you here this morning?, when you write — to your sister — your sister — to Ellen, give her my love” — Then after a pause, came with the utmost tenderness, in a distinct tone “Poor Ellen”. She still held Louisa’s hand, & looked anxiously at her, & said "And ask Susie, ask Susie to write to Kate — to write to — Kate " — she looked troubled knowing, I suppose, that she had not said the word she wanted, & some one said Sis,
Right page (new letter)
Wednesday 17th June
Dear Sis,
We feel very anxious to hear about Ellen & yourself, & though we hope from not hearing that she & you are better it is impossible not to feel anxious — The day your last letter came to Mother she was feeling so faint that as I told her it had come, she flushed up, & closed her eyes — I said “if you feel weak now I will read it another time” she bowed her head & said “are all well, how is Sam?” The next morning when she seemed brighter I asked her if she would like to hear your letter & Wm’s, & she listened with interest to every word, & after a while told me to send your letter to Auntie. You would feel for Tody, if you could see how the heart is taken out of his life — though he does his best to be cheerful & strong
AI Notes
Two facing handwritten pages, 1874 Barker family cluster. The left page concludes the long letter on Mother’s death (Ellen Milliken Barker, 1807-1874), describing her last farewell to Miss Louisa, a final message in which Mother kept failing to pronounce the intended name ‘Sis’ (saying ‘Susie’ and ‘Kate’ instead), and her wandering speech. Cross-written perpendicular text in the upper margin explains ‘the quick sigh of relief showed what she meant… She often failed to pronounce the name she wanted’. The right page begins a new handwritten letter dated ‘Wednesday 17th June,’ addressed ‘Dear Sis,’ opening with the writer’s anxiety about Ellen and a recollection of receiving the recipient’s letter the day before; the writer reports Mother’s response to that letter and the heart taken out of Tody (Theodore Gaillard Barker). Recipient ‘Sis’ is Ellen Milliken Barker Porcher; writer is most likely Susan Milliken Barker. In the dying Mother’s confused speech, she says ‘Susie’ twice — failing to pronounce the intended ‘Sis’. ‘Auntie’ serves as the relay-addressee.
Letter continues on next page.