[Letter of 1869 February 17]

[Letter of 1869 February 17]

1869-02-07

Man-woman relationships

Teachers

Race relations

Philadelphia (Pa.)

Wiley, Edward A. [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

BMS010X0055

Phila". Feb. 17th. “69/ My Dear Edward:/ Now that an old/ friendship is about to be renewed/ much more firmly I must let/ me write you freely. In the first/ place let me tell you how now/ I know what it is to long for your/ presence. In so many ways I/ imagine you could help me and/ at the same time yourself being/ helped we might do so much/ more than I one can do. Then/ when I want to go anywhere if/ Pa is busy and mother does not/ care to do which she very often/ does not I am obliged to stay/ home. Only a week ago I wan=/ted to hear Murdock the Elocu=/tionist but I was obliged to stay/ home. Now consider my position/ if I were inclined so to do or if/ my father counted the favor of/ our City gents by becoming a mem/=ber of their Base Ball Clubs &c/ I should have beaux innumerable/ as it is I frequently see a num=/ber of gentlemen but never put/ myself in an attitude to partake/ in their meager hospitalities./ Now if you could only pursue/ your [x?]ade here to the same ad=/vantage as in O. how delighted I/ should [sic]. At least dont think of/ staying away all of two years./ I have looked for you here several/ times, just took it into my head/ that you would come along but/ you have not arrived yet. When/ will you come? Think me not/ extravagant in my notions if/ I think so much of this matter/ but really I hope you will feel/ persuaded to give the City a trial/ hoping for as great if not greater/ prospects there are now before/ you. I know that so far as/ business is concerned father/ can be of service to you at least/ in advising if nothing else. You/ will have an opportunity of be=/coming acquainted with many/ of our friends, who have been/ and ever will be true to the/ race. Of evenings you can/ help me plan and we can read/ together and I see no reason/ why you might not as well/ come here as remain in O./ away from everybody dear to you/ Let me talk to Pa about the mat/=ter. what say you?/ So Jennie Cobu[r?]n is not/ married. I was in hopes the/ news was indeed true. I cer=/ tainly am daily confirmed in/ the belief that all ought to mar=/ry taking care of course that/ certain essentials are not over=/looked. Jennie I should judge/ is just about the proper age/ to be married; and although/ not a Christian she may act/ well her part in married/ life. I shall look for the same/ routine of correspondence that/ we once enjoyed two letters/ a week shall write that num/ber myself. I shall not be able/ to talk with mother and father/ about the renewal of our engage/ment until the latter part/ of this week meanwhile dont/ wait but answer this immedi=/ately please You see I have/ written as though our en=/gagement was an entirely/ settled thing and so I believe/ it is but a few preliminaries/ seem necessary to be gone through/ with [ere?] the die is cast/ Oh if you only knew the work/ to be done here the vast field/ for labor the greatness of the/ degradation which surrounds/ us you would feel constrained/ to come here to labor if for/ naught else. I may have told/ you of my teaching in a rag=/ged S. School- Well more/ teachers are needed but none/ can be found; there are three/ of us colored the others all/ white. Meetings are held a=/mong these people through the/ week conducted entirely by/ whites the colored people/ standing aloof as though a=/fraid of them. I have/ succeeded in starting a sewing/ school among them some la=/dies both colored and white/ are about to unite with me/ and according to my ability/ I intend to extend this work/ so I pray you hurry over/ to help me. Had it not/ been that my heart was so/ completely in this work and/ I felt that yours was too/ I should not until too late/ perhaps known what a treas=/ure I was rejecting in refusing/ to act out my inner nature/ and write you as I did./ Heavenly Father has brought/ this all about I pray that he/ may use me continually and/ successfully in doing His work/ You will here have an oppor=/tunity of conducting religious/ meetings at least taking an/ active part in them and perhaps/ accomplish more than though/ you had studied for the/ Ministry. I will send you/ a paper containing a notice/ of the Sewing School. What is/ the yearly subscription for the/ Lorain New's./ Write me all the news/ remember me to Mr Griffing/ You spoke of him in one/ of your letters. I suppose he/ knows the entire course our/ correspondence has taken/ I have told but one individual/ outside of the family and that/ is Maggie Jones. It will be/ known by all in due time/ Please tell me of all arrivals/ in O. for the Spring se[mester?]/ (that I know.) Miss Lyons/ of Cleveland is in the City visit=/ing with Miss Echols. I have/ called on her once./ The weather has been so mild/ here that we have hardly had/ any winter./ I will close as my/ letter is somewhat lengthy and/ head commences to ache./ Write Soon./ Affectionately Carrie./