Letter from Charleston, December 16, 1877 (page 1)
Book 1, Page 203 ·1877
Transcription
The page holds a folded handwritten letter mounted on a dark backing, written in cursive ink. A torn corner fragment at upper left carries a marginal note. The dateline appears at upper right of the right-hand sheet.
[Pencilled note on torn fragment at upper left]: Please excuse this — it tore as I turned the page —
Charleston December 16th /77
My dear Mary
I have sent by mail two books for the children’s Christmas so when they arrive you can keep dark about them till the day — Kate & I send them — I send Tom’s & Kate Mammie’s — It is only for the love’s sake for the dear little souls, for the books will not be much — My “brain” as Kate says is flying over all the lovely things it would be nice to send you & them, & I know yours is just as full for us, but love is more than all, & that, neither time nor circumstance can change. — Kate still writes brightly from Mulberry — Auntie’s foot is
The left-hand sheet (continuing the letter):
the reception — the overskirt my veil was looped with artificial flowers, & she wore a few in her hair. She danced all the square dances, & walked about, & Tody as Manager, danced also all evening. He says he & Mary Frost had just taken their places in a quadrille, when Louisa & Sparkman came up for vis a vis, & presently Edwin Frost ^& somebody^ came to dance as side couple just beside Tody & Mary! Did I write you that Gen. & Mrs Conner had given Tody & Louisa a dinner?
Margaret Huger made her
AI Notes
Page 1 of a handwritten letter dated Charleston, December 16, 1877, addressed to ‘My dear Mary.’ Two sheets are mounted side-by-side; a smaller torn fragment at upper left carries a marginal apology to the recipient. The writer describes books sent by mail for the children’s Christmas, news of Kate at Mulberry, an unwell ‘Auntie’s foot,’ and a wedding reception with dancing at which ‘Tody’ (Theodore Gaillard Barker, ‘T.G.B.’) acted as manager, with Mary Frost, Louisa, Sparkman, and Edwin Frost as dance partners. A dinner given by Gen. and Mrs. Conner for Tody and Louisa is also mentioned. Significant corrections to prior pass: ‘Toby’ → ‘Tody’ throughout (Theodore Gaillard Barker); ‘Mary Foot/Edwin Foot’ → ‘Mary Frost/Edwin Frost’; ‘Mr & Mrs Bonner’ → ‘Gen. & Mrs Conner’; ‘Auntie Foot’ → ‘Auntie’s foot’; the pencil note actually apologizes for a torn page, not a direction to ‘reverse’ it; ‘her neice’ → ‘her hair’.
Letter continues on next scan. The “^…^” marks an interlinear caret insertion in the original.