[Letter of 1874 November 11]

[Letter of 1874 November 11]

1874-11-11

Mothers and daughters

African American families

African American women

Still, Letitia [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

BMS010X0101

Oberlin Nov. 11th ‘74/ Dear Ma,/ Not wishing to go to studying/ right after supper I thought I would/ write to you; here it is wednesday[sic]/ night and no letter from home, only/ Carrie’s postal card and a whole house/ full of you./ I have not got my thing/ yet but if they left home last Thurs/ day I suppose I will get them about/ the last of this week. Mrs. Deck has/ got my word it was $4.00./ She is quite anxious/ that I should have a room-mate/ but I [&?] wont get any this winter because/ thoes[sic] who o have boarding places are either/ going away, or remain where they are/ Awful sorry you got/ so much work to do, dont you wish/ El was home to set the table for instance/ sweep down the stairs, wash up the/ dishes, empty the slops, bring up/ coal give “the parlors a little touching/ up" let me see what else Oh yes!/ scrape "taters" scrub off the steps and/ lots of other things oh my I know you/ miss me./ I suppose Bob cleans the/ knives when you can get a hold of/ him. Who attends to the opera houses/ [situated?] you no[sic] where nice little job/ for Mrs. Wiley, by the way I almost/ forgot Rob’s stockings who looks/ after them? dont he often wish I/ was there?/ My curiosity was/ roused sometime ago by a letter I/ got from Maria Jones in it she asked/ me if I had heard the report about/ Lizzie she did not state particulars/ so I let the subject drop; today/ I got a letter from Lily asking me/ to tell her all about Lizzie and Mrs. B./ what is it? do tell me; tell Caddie to/ besure[sic] and tell me in her next. For I/ suppose you have it all down to dots/ as sister Greenfield as[sic] been up that/ way. How is Mallie getting?/ I hope that she is better. The last night/ she was up to our house sewing, about/ one or perhaps later she laid her head/ on her arm to take a little nap and/ when I looked at her I felt so sad/ I could not tell why it seem[sic] to me/ that she looked so sad, I did'nt[sic] say/ anything to anyone about it, you know/ what has followed since I left./ Every Thursday evening all/ places of business are to be closed at six/ so as to allow the bus men to attend/ the church prayer-meeting that night/ the minister of the let church being the/ principal mover, in it./ The dedication of the / union school-house took place last Monday/ but they have not go[sic] in yet because/ the walks are not quite finished./ Mr. Gibbs is expected home soon. The/ cow has come and they have made/ butter twice, You just missed lots/ by not being here to get some of/ the butter milk it was just like/ cream./ I hope you put in your/ picture and Pop's, Well it is nearly/ half past seven so I must close/ with love to all, From your affectionate/ daughter/ Ellie/ By the way, did Will get that/[store?] pipe of his?/