Letter from Charlotte Cushman and Sallie Mercer to Emma Crow Cushman, Sep 26, 1865
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Cushman was very worried about not having received a reply from Emma to the degree of feeling "weak & trembly."
The man Cushman has instructed to oversee the passage of the horses is not able to speak English, therefore, Ned is supposed to accompany him. She urges for an immediate answer from Ned as she might take Mr. Gaunt up on his offer to see the horses off to Paris.
Sallie Mercer criticizes Ned's plan for the horses to go by Genoa and proposes he contact the acting American consul at Civita Vecchia to help with the landing of the horses.
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Library of Congress, Charlotte Cushman Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.Creator
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[833] My darling daughter & friend. after I have had [last three words inserted] great anxiety about you who in [inserted] consequence of not hearing from you at all after Wednesday night of last week. So anxious was I, that when on Sunday morning. I heard the unusual sound in that very quiet place "the Nook" – of a cat driving up to the door & a sharp knock. my heart fell with such a lump that I could hardly stand after it. I was as weak & trembly [?] as any creature could be all the day after. for I thought in my not hearing from you, some of you were ill, & you had feared to let me know lest I should start off to get you. see how my poor nervous heart torments itself. I am sure I told you I was going to the Nook [?] on Monday night to stay till Sunday. Therefore your letter of the 21"– mailed 22d. & Neds [sic] of 22d mailed 23d. did not reach me until my arrival here. too late to send off a line by return mail. to tell Ned that I think it very cool. after my letter to him & you of last Sunday 17'. telling you the difficulties there would be in sending the horses by the little man I engaged to take them. because he could not speak one word of any other than his own language if not much of that — & that I did not know him enough to trust him with money for the passage of himself & horses. and it was nescessary [sic] for Ned to go with him. & therefore as infinite trouble I had marked
[833 reverse] out & thought out all the plans for procedure. so the poor dumb things might be taken care of. If I had thought of the chance of Neds [sic] getting to be made bearer of dispatches. I should have seen the way even +++ for by having that with him. he would have had difficulty or detention with regard to his horses. It was nescessary [sic] too that I should have an immediate answer. as I wrote you to my letter of the 17". +++ I might be in time to have the horses sent up from Mr Gaunt who was in a hurry to be rid of them. +++ account of going away to Scarborough himself. & he was going to take the trouble of going with them to +++ & seeing them off for me. You say you send my letter of the 17". in the evening of the 19". so that Ned should have [?] answered me on the [illegible, crossed out] 20". to the nook [?]. & I should have been able to attend to the Mr Gaunts [sic] request of taking the horses away — & they might have been in Paris +++ for Ned to have forwarded them. & gone over Mont Curis with them himself as he ought to have done. I asked of that, he leaves [?] me to manage. in the best way +++ I do think it is too bad. The horses will leave Mr Gaunt on the 28" to Boulogne or the 29". & +++ Paris on the 30" — & Ned must remain & see +++ them himself. or I must send them by Marseilles — — Oh dear I am called off to +++ to Barmouth [?]. in the stage coach — & +++
[834] not a moment to finish! more tomorrow. write to me here up to Saturday inclusive!
God bless you my darling daughter
your ever loving Ladie
Sallie will finish this.
The plan Ned arranges for then horses to go by Genoa — to walk to Speggia is stupid. If they go by rail & over Mont Curis. They must at Susa. be put in the rail for Bologna. & from there via [inserted] to Leghorn to +++. & there we could arrange to have Guiseppe meet them but the difficulty exists in getting them from St Michel to Susa & put in train again for Bologna &c. with a man who cannot guess at all the English you speak. let alone French & Italian so I think the best way we can manage will be for as Ned has made his arrangement for going on with Miss Hosmer. to send them by help of the expedition Merlin [?] at Boulogne to Marseilles. & the usual risk of storm & quarantine. & let Ned send Guiseppe down to Civita Vecchia on Saturday morning 7" ock. to receive the horses. if they will land them.
[834 reverse] Ned had better run down himself with him & get Massanich [?]. the acting American consul at Civita Vecchia. to help him with the landing
I will write to Grant at Hookers [?] bank. & ask him to write to Massanich [?] to make any preparations possible. before hand. to get the horses landed. for the man will have to stop in the quarantine. But you will have to get some one to. More tomorrow — Thank God you are well. & that dear Babs is so well. He may will have a will of his own with such wilful progenitors. but it will be nescessary [sic] to curb it early. & not +++ him in things which are of no importance. God bless you my darling. Tell Ned. to go to a [sic] hour the first night in Rome
My dear Miss Emma
will you let me know if there is any thing I can do for you before I leave London. I shall be in town +++ +++ +++ day before +++ +++ +++ so if you send me a line to +++ I shall +++ +++ time to do any thing you wish. I do so +++ to see dear baby bless him
in haste ever gratefully yours
Sallie