Letter from Charlotte Cushman to Annie Fields, July 31, 1871

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[page 1] Dear Annie
You will have begun to think of me. as one "clean gone". That I have not sooner acknowledged your kind missive of the 16" w^h [?, what] "came to hand in +++" as the merchants say--bringing a whiff of Manchester air. clear & healthy being [?]. It has laid open upon my writing book. which always means "to be first answered"--but I have been unusually occupied in the way of correspondence ever since I came here & one has +++ mother out. The more immediate. always, being answered first.

[page 2] & now with a double +++ determination. I sit down to scratch you just a line to say I am keeping alright, not going back. am eating & growing too fat. which seems to contradict the "malignancy" of the trouble which Mr Paget feared +++. I am all well enough when the weather is cool. but when it is warm. how then I suffer--in many ways. But God has been very merciful to me for I have never felt such a +++ in my life. so cool & nice. just now it has come--hot & muggy & I am under its influence. but towards the middle of the month we are going to Swampscott to dear Mrs Child & then we shall stand a chance of seeing you & Jamie. how is he getting on. doing a deal of walking I hope--or he will get too stout [?] to lecture--what do you think of that

[page 3] for impudence? How I shall like to hear him lecture. I left Hyde Park & my other half on the 7" of this month. came here on the 10. last week I went for three days to Providence. on the 8" I hope Emma S. will join me here. & on the 16 we hope to go to Swampscott. I want very much to make an excursion to the Isle of Shoals while we are there. Have you ever been - & would you go with us just for an "out". how nice it would be. Emma Cushman & her babies [?] are pretty well. The little ones bathe & look like pink sea shells. We are very comfortably settled here. & wish very much you could be tempted to run down & look at us here either before we go to Swampscott or after. I am busy getting a piece of land & Richard Hunt is building [?]

[page 4] me a house. which I hope will be done for next summer--& then you will come & visit me-- wont [sic] you. I thank you dear about the intelligence[?] from Mrs Orville Dewing[?]. I have been going on so safely & so well with Dr Howes [sic] advice that I have not been tempted by anything but this +++. which I am very anxious yours should be converted to - but what [?] he +++ to believe in. However I do not despair of his being convinced in him. Newport is crammed & I am tired & want to get to +++ of more +++--tell me one thing. Do the lines in the "Adonais" of Shelly. beginning at Stanza 31."midst others of less note!" & which go on for 4 Stanzas, refer to Byron? or who. Please tell me. +++ a dear--with love to both. believe me ever & always affectionately 
Charlotte C.