Letter from Charlotte Cushman to Emma Crow Cushman, June 23, 1861

Dublin Core

Title

Letter from Charlotte Cushman to Emma Crow Cushman, June 23, 1861

Subject

Actors and Actresses--US American
Cushman, Charlotte Saunders, 1816-1876
Cushman, Edwin "Ned" Charles, 1838-1909
Cushman, Emma Crow, 1839-1920
Family
Illness
Relationships-- Intimate--Same-sex

Description

Cushman writes Emma about how her busy days in New York have left her tired. She was comforted by Emma's letter and is glad she is feeling better and stronger again.
Cushman speaks very highly of her mother and is thankful for the sacrifices she has made for her.
She worried about Mary's health and is wary of the doctors who treat her as they often falsely "make patients believe they are very seriously affected." Thus she wants Emma to talk to her father about visiting Mary. 

Credit

Library of Congress, Charlotte Cushman Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.

Creator

Cushman, Charlotte Saunders, 1816-1876

Source

LoC, CCP 1: 271-274

Date

1861-06-23

Type

Reference

Letter Item Type Metadata

Text

[271] My own sweet darling +++ later [?] received no letter from me this morning. & she will get none tomorrow morning. nor [?] Sunday morning. & will begin to wonder if her loving auntie has lost herself in the fogs of the sound [?] or forgot her own dear little lover. I am safe & sound my precious one. but very very tired. Last night I acted +++ Katherine [?] & Mrs +++. to the least good house of my three nights - but my audience very enthusiastic & discriminating. The two first nights had been very cool & comfortable. for which I was very thankful. last night was as hot as - it well could be! This morning at half past five. Your Ladie was roused having gone to bed at one. but I had much to do in New York & therefore hurried on at an early hour. I met [?] aunt Emma at +++. looking like a poor ghost. Dearest

[271 reverse] darling of my heart. & thank you for your dear letter. yesterday it comforted me very much. I am so thankful my dear one is getting better & stronger. in all ways. she will be as good as she knows how to be & then she will be very very happy. for she is sweet & dear & good & I love her most dearly. I am glad you were beginning to eat well & relished your food. This is a very good +++. you must get strong & well. This little "out" of Neds will do him good. & it is better that he should be away from you for a little time "all things come together for good". I am very glad too that Mary is able to be with you. she is a clever good sweet little thing & will be a comfort to you. I am so sorry to find by your letter received on my arrival here this morning that grandma should have staid [sic] over a day for the sake of +++. but thus she has been all her life - her duty [?] has been the paramount thing. & any thing I +++ her to do for me in such a way she would +++ her duty. & as far as her edu-

[272] cation & +++ has +++ her light [?] to see [?] her duty. she has always done [?] it. & I am what I am through her early lessons in duty. I have much to be thankful to her for. my education has been wider [?] than hers — thanks to the opportunities she struggled through much +++ & +++ to give her – She has been a good & faithful mother - & though she has suffered herself to grow in & not expand. there are many fine traits in her character. which you might fail to find in many people who would seem less "common". I only wish God had given every child. so good & faithful a mother. she has her faults. who has not? I only reproach myself that I cannot be as patient with her as she has too often been with me. I am greatly troubled, dear, a what you tell me of Mary's letter. Poor child. what a thing for any doctor to have old her. I shall think it unpardonable. Even though it +++ him. how dare a man do or say any

[272 reverse] such thing. +++ know how fallible an +++ judgement. how very little they know & +++ also know that many a doctor has given patients a disease. by insisting upon it. +++. that they have it. You [?] know that +++ +++ Doctor told her she had water in the chest. & frightened her almost into the +++ until Dr Byslow [?] told her it was a farce. gave her some medicine for nervous indigestion [?]. which has +++ the water all away [?]. I would beat such a Dr. & I am sure when [?] Ned sees Marys [sic] letter he will want to go do it. poor dear child. - my darling +++ not cry over poor sisters [sic] letters. it is bad for me to cry. I cannot bear the idea of +++ in my chickens [sic] eyes. dont [sic] weep precious or I shall be very unhappy. Write to poor dear +++ & tell her when she comes +++ she shall see Dr Byslow [?]. who shall +++ her incontinently. I really think if father [?] knew of this he would not let her stay +++ a Dr was trying to make such an impression [?].

[273] some times Drs at watering places are very apt to +++ to make patients believe they are very seriously affected. so as to induce them to remain longer under their hands. You must tell dear Mary all these things & try to comfort her. I wish she was with you. I am sure it would do her more good than Saratoga & Lenox put together. she wants you & Ned. & as you are not visit ing at all. I am sure it would not be of any harm to her to be with you - why dont [sic] you write & tell father exactly the way Mary has written to you & tell him you believe it would do her more good to be with you. Than not. & that she shall not be having excitement. for you yourself are forced to be very quiet [?]. Perhaps you have done this. Darling I have done much business to day. & been under the +++ hands

[273 reverse] for a couple of hours. I was too tired to go to see grand ma tonight. but she joins me tomorrow morning for Baltimore where I shall hope to find a little note from you. God be with you my own darling. Your auntie loves you very very dearly. your letter has comforted her very much & she thanks you for it from the depths of her soul. I know you love me. my sweet soul & trust in your love for me as I do in mine for you. you will scarcely get a week at +++ if you dont [sic] go on Monday. However I make no request of you. certain that you will do for the best. Will my darling look a little into the dusting of her house to see that Ellen does it a little more thoroughly as soon as she is able to go about the house. you have good honest servants dear. but the best require looking after & the +++ +++ will be +++ by dust! - I will make

[274] you a present of your covers when I come to Boston or if you will let me know what the cost is. I will send you a chick for them. I hope they please you. it is better to have them cored. when they are once washed they will be lighter. I may not be able to write you for a day or two hence this long note to night. Goodnight my precious I am very sleepy. 
but Ever & Ever & Ever 
Your lovingly devoted Ladie

From

Cushman, Charlotte Saunders, 1816-1876

To

Cushman, Emma Crow, 1839-1920

Location

New York City, New York

Geocode (Latitude)

40.730610

Geocode (Longitude)

-73.935242

Social Bookmarking

Geolocation

Collection

Citation

Cushman, Charlotte Saunders, 1816-1876, “Letter from Charlotte Cushman to Emma Crow Cushman, June 23, 1861,” Archival Gossip Collection, accessed March 29, 2024, https://www.archivalgossip.com/collection/items/show/584.

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