Letter from Charlotte Cushman to James Fields, Nov 21, 1862

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Huntington Library, James Thomas Fields Papers and Addenda

[page 1] Dear J.T F.
Tilton has arrived. by him I hear many things. among the finest. That he entirely forgot what he was to do with the little +++ sketch painted by Miss Adams & sent by me to trace the walls belonging to my children. I sent a number of things by him--& imagined that they would reach their destination through his care. alas. some of them Ned only rec^d [received] the day before he left for St Louis. & never knew at all what had become of his little picture & felt awkwardly about asking Tilton about it--thinking it was one of Tiltons [sic] own--& that perhaps he had found a customer for it. Many years ago. I made up my mind that it would be a mistake to trust any of your sex hence my spinsterhood. why was I ever so weak as to trust my property to one of them. I wont [sic] again. so there I have quietly remarked to Tilton, that men

[page 2] are but weak things after all. Then too I have another proof in you having such an opportuny [sic] of sending a lot of books to my fortunates living in Rome. Why we would have been glad even to have paid trade price. if you had bought them in New York & sent them - having forgotten them in Boston - but there. your conscience must have been in a state of bluster [?] ever since, so I wont [sic] +++ you any more! I dare say you think us ungrateful. because I never thank you for those lovely books of Mintheops [?]. lovely & cool & brisk & +++ & new as nature! They have delighted us & many other weary tired souls [?] & we have thanked you over & over again. and now what shall I say. we are back in Rome. a little later this year! & shaking down into our corner. Miss Adams is here & working like a Trojan. She seems very comfortably situated with two good working women & is well & happy. I have not been allowed to go to her studio yet. as she "had nothing to show" - but in a day or two I am to be allowed! Miss Truman is also here with them. as nervous as inscrutable as ever. very clever with her fingers,

[page 3] but oh so painfully shy & silent. Emma. our Emma Stebbins--is at work upon a sketch for a little statue of "Joseph being seventies [sic] years old was feeding the flock" - and then she will get to a "baby nurcery [sic]". Suggested by Shelleys [?, sic] +++ to Mercury [?]. The statue of Mann is not yet just off to Munich. it is waiting for another month [?] to be taken of [sic] in. for fear it should get broken in the sending — & the man who makes them is deeply busy. Besides exchange is at such an awful point [?]. That +++ one quarter or one third of the money would be lost to them by having it sent now. & it would not be right for Emma to lose it--would it?-- Send send oh send the Atlantic Monthly. my soul aches for it Tilton brought the Nov' number. but I have not the October.--I hear you are making your fortune. alas why am not I. If Emma had only been content to stop in America this year. I would have made mine too. but she would not. & I sit here & +++! Our Minister has come & is very nice. so is Mrs Minister so am I so are you. so is Emma so is Annie why does she never write. Ever yours, Truly
Charlotte Cushman 

[page 1 added] P.S. write to Ned about the picture!