[Letter of 1878 May 28]

[Letter of 1878 May 28]

1878-05-28

Man-woman relationships

Marriage

African American men

African American women

African American physicians

Fielding [recipient]

image/jp2

Correspondence

This material is made available for private study, scholarship, and research use. For access to the original letter, or high-resolution reproduction, please contact the Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection (blockson@temple.edu; 215-204-6632).

Temple University Libraries, Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection

William Still Collection

Blockson manuscripts

William Still Collection

Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Libraries

blockson@temple.edu

BMS010X0120

May 28, ’78./ Dear Fielding/ From the tone/ of your letter received this/ morning you are not as/ anxious about going to house=/ keeping in the Hall as you/ were when I left you; there=/ fore I need not feel so badly/ if it should happen that I/ must stay the year out./ You will be better pleased per=/ haps to have a longer time in/ which to prepare since things/ are looking so cloudy. I/ thought you had matters/ so arranged with regard to/ your expenses that you/ could save nicely a little each/ month. What has happened/ to mar your plans? I am/ afraid you are too easy with/ the Armory folks and they/ do not come up to time. You/ do not tell me any of your/ affairs. I suppose it is none/ of my affairs but I feel they/ are, and you should feel so/ too if you care for me at all./ I don’t wonder you talk/ of tearing up your letters they/ are freezing cold. Its[sic] high/ time you had thawed out/ if you ever intend to do so./ Now I am not scolding/ but just talking a little ear=/ nestly. I think you might/ answer this letter Thurs. eve=/ ning the time you would/ spend with me, and tell/ me all about yourself and how/ matters are going with you./ Don’t suppose that I do not/ want to hear for I do. If you/ go anywhere or see anything/ new or buy anything nice/ I want to know all about it./ If you do not write me/ freely about yourself I shall/ despair of you. Sunday I/ took dinner with my Cousin/ I think I told you of him/ Dr. Jas. Still. He cooked all/ the dinner himself, and I believe/ arranged the table. His wife has/ a babe four weeks old. He/ has done all the work in that/ time. He says he is not able/ to have a servant, and he will/ not have any one coming in/ for a little while, and I/ suppose he thinks only to up=/ set his plans. She is thorough=/ ly imbedded in him and of /course he believes thoroughly in/ her but he is evidently lord/ and master for she would/ not do a hand’s turn without/ consulting him or waiting/ for his consent and really/ I believe when he does not/ expect to be asked or consulted/ but might feel badly if he was/ not. This seems to me to be/ carrying things too far./ I am afraid I should forget/ sometimes and act on my/ own authority and then what/ would you say? I don’t be=/ lieve you would cook many/ dinners or bathe three little/ ones four weeks if so I might/ run my profession. He runs/ his - sews for the children when/ he gets ready, and makes “roam/ howl” I tell you. He will/ be rich some day but after/ all there is a little selfishness/ about the whole matter I think./ Still I cannot but admire the/ assistance his wife gets and/ how delighted she seems to be./ The right woman in the right/ place. One half that assis=/ tance given by all husbands/ yes one quarter would be de=/ lightful and at the same time/ the wife retaining an indepen=/ dence which would not – give/ another to suppose she stood/ somewhat in awe of her better/ half. I believe in loving one/ another so well that there will/ be the utmost respect for each/ other’s wishes but when others/ are by each act for himself or/ herself. I am stealing time/ now, but I write you this/ early because you wrote such/ a cold, and heartless letter and I/ was disappointed so I want/ another by Saturday. You/ did not tell me that dream/ why not? Not a word did/ you say about your/ mother or sisters./ May 30th,,,/ I did not get this/ letter off as I expected, and/ so I shall not hear from/ you as I had hoped this/ Saturday, but perhaps you/ would have done as you/ have so often before failed/ to write me when I would/ like to have you, and/ thus disappoint me still/ me more. You see I/ am not so hardened by my/ profession that I do not/ know what is right, I/ verily know all about it/ and you must know my dear/ if you would know me./ Do you think you know/ me at all if so write to me as/ though you did. I feel as/ though I should like to see/ you so much now and have/ one of the quiet times we used/ to have. To me they are/ more than words yet when/ apart some words are/ necessary./ Affectionately/ Carrie/