Loved Lizzie Letter Dated December 28th 1856

Loved Lizzie

December 28th, 1856

on PostCard Talk

 

Presented by Mary Katherine May of QualityMusicandBooks.com

My thoughts about the letter.

On this posting I leave postcards for a moment to present a letter from 1856 so sweetly written to Loved Lizzie.  I know that this letter didn't come to me for free, though I cannot remember what it cost, and also the ink was faded at time of purchase though a little less so.  I recall that for some reason the letter then (whenever then, was), as it does now, struck me as particularly and softly senitmental.  Lizze is away, though we don't know where, or for what reason, or for how long.

I think, how wonderful the day would become if I received a letter in the post with such an endearing salutation.  If I was tired or sad or unhappy, to begin my morning activities by reading in my letter the bright, cheery greeting from someone I was close to in relationship and loved dearly,would surely make even a dark, cloudy sky seem joyous.

The letter from Lizzie's aunt is conversational and chatty.  A new baby named Louis Emerson just arrived, renovation of a church sanctuary, a good sermon heard, a marriage joke about how much Lizzie is adored.  A weekend guest named Emmah has gone home.   Francis is terribly ill but by the time of the post script a little better, and there is an upcoming party to celebrate the new year tonight at Wm. Whit's.  We can only speculate as to who the three men were that Lizzie lived with, since for certain in 1856 it wasn't just four random boarders living together with only one woman in the group.

It is truly a shame that ink is so faded, and that without input from a person who has intimate knowledge about the family of which Lizzie was a member it will be virtually impossible to specifically identify the who, what, when, where and how details of her life.  And perhaps that is just as well, since the imagination can make those who might have been absolutely ordinary, and not saying that Lizzie was ordinary in any way, light up like a bright, shiny star.

The names and clues:

Lizzie -- letter recipient

Rev. J.P. Lloyd -- there was a pastor by this name at the time of this letter's writing in Ohio.

Louis Emerson -- newborn boy

Emmah -- weekend guest

Frances -- sick with lung fever

Wm. Whit's --home where New Year party was to be held.

W.E.R. letter writer, Lizzie's aunt

Sylvester -- a person who lives with W.E.R.?

The letter came from Denmark --the country?  a city or town in the U.S.A

Denmark Dec 28^th /’56

Loved Lizzie

I now attempt to reply to your very kind letter which was received on Friday last.  Happily I have found the pen and paper on which to fasten my valuable thoughts but am inclined to think that neither pen nor thoughts will be very well executed.  I did truly think of charging you with gross neglect and felt almost like exclaiming in emphatic tones awake thou that sleepest arouse from the lethargy in which thou art indulging and answer or reply to your letter.

I feel quite solemn and sedate for me today, having been to church and heard Rev. J. P. Lloyd deliver a sermon from Nehemiah, relative to the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem, an excellent one it was to.  The Presbyterians are refitting their church inside by papering the wall, tareing away the brest-work elevated two of the back seats and placing the brest-work in front, turned the steps fronting the doors, painted the windows green, trimed the stand with velvet, purchased four new lamps, and intend to paint the seats this week.  And so the improvements increase in the land of your nativity. 

Sylvester is home today.   Emmah came home last Friday evening she made me a call Saturday and returned Sabbath day.  As for presenting the teacher with a kiss I must be excused.  But will give you liberty to do so by his granting you permission.  I should truly have thought you a bride ere this, inasmuch as you board with three young gents, if I had been a young man I would have married you long ago.  But I had forgotten to tell the news, don’t you think I am aunt to one of the pretty’est little boys in the county he is two weeks old and his name Louis Emerson.  I should like to have a good social chat with you were it convenient.  But we must part awhile a few short months, th’o short they will be without thy dear society but yet we must endure.  And our love will be the fonder after parting it will grow more intense in your absence and again burn with a tender glow when you dear Lib return.

Thursday morning 1857.

I wish you a happy new year, but Lib tis with a heavy heart I renew my writing.  Francis is very sick a heavy attack of the lung fever Dr says he will probabl(y) be sick some time.  I have no time to write more neighbor in general quite well.  Please except the best wishes of a friend.  Write as soon as you receive in great haste.

W E R

Francis is a little easier than he was yesterday and last night.  New Years party this evening at Wm Whit’s.

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This document has been lightly enhanced to make the text more visible.