William Audley Couper papers

we sallied out again to make more calls - the Gov^r went with us as it was a long way up to Mrs Exeters [sic]. Found them at home too - they are very pleasant people - the old gentlemans [sic] head is as white as cotton I remained there whilst the others went to make another call on Georgias [sic] account & eventually we got home, much gratified by the duties we had performed - I hate returning calls - but really it would nev-er do not to return their call, the people are so polite to us - This morning Mrs Jacksons [sic] 2 daughters & little boy came here to board wife of John Aderso Jackson of the firm of Andersons & Co - I knew her Mother when I was a school girl - She is Cousin to M^r James Johnson of S - h. (With Mrs Preston) - we form quite a party of Southerners - I am just as pleasantly situated as I could be, when from home. There has been quite an excitement today, the great Balloon was to be let off. The evening was beautiful but rather warm, we conclu-ded all to go - hired an open Carriage - which had to make two turns to get us there - near one mile - Mrs Preston & the 5 girls went first - then Miss Lines - Mrs Daggett - Mrs Jackson & myself - the boys walked There is no use entering into all the particulars - We went & Oh! the crowd the dust - the heat - There must have been many thousands there We waited two blessed hours - but owing to the inferiority of the Gas the Balloon could not be made to go up, & we had to return - Poor Flora had a bad headache - Appy was burnt with the sun - We sent them home in a Carriage - I gave them 75 cts. to pay the hackman. Mrs Daggett told Flora to offer him 25 cts & then if he made a fuss she may have to give him instead 50 cts. When we got back I found them in high glee - As soon as they got back - they had given but 25 cts for their ride - they sent off Rhina with the 50 cts for ice cream & cake Miserable stuff it us was - Mrs Gordon called this evening - what a lovely woman she is - beautiful eyes & teeth - but very stout - I hope Lordy will get back tomorrow - I shall not send this letter until tomorrow or the next day - And will now go on to notice certain parts of your dear letter. I feel the importance of

having those negro houses - It is a real necessary expense - had these houses been built last year - I may not have been forced to come here. But let me not repine - God! has spared me those most important to my happiness. I leave it to William to make the best arrangement he can, in every way for me - feeling confident he will do so for my interest. I hope he will think old shells will make lime good enough for the purpose if so I need not pay $100 to Capt. Anderson for his. I know William will use his excellent judgement in all matters. I am sorry poor Dunham is such a sufferer. I really wish one of his brothers could stay with him. If I was but at home I would try to attend to my own business with Williams [sic] help - & let poor Dunham come North or go some where for help - I very much fear he will be more cross than is necessary. You must not think hard of dear Andrew. If I was ill - I doubt not he would do all in his power to give me assistance - Tho' he is in a fair way to be very rich - he cannot now command as much money - he has to borrow at high interest to carry on the improvements he requires. He does not seem to be uneasy about the State of Cuba - his partner is a Spaniard which is somewhat of a security to his property. It would make William open his big eyes to hear Andrew tell of the product of the lands in Cuba. It would be doing grand business if I could smuggle my darkies over to him, but as this is not possible we need not say any more about it. Tell my Anna if she will but give up sucking her tongue I will bring her a crying baby.

Tip ran down to the depot to see his Uncle & Aunt off - /Tip is a great favorite with everyone who knows him / Andrew gave him a gold dollar, poor little fellow he did not want to take it so Andrew told him to buy peaches for his Mother & sisters with it - but did I not tell you of this in my last? I think I did. Those darling little ones - how I do long to see them!! --- God! grant no sickness may come among you, if so then my darling you will indeed miss your poor Mother ---

I fear it is too true that Mrs Stephen King is dead - I cannot believe that about Henry. No son could be so unnatural Most disastrous has been that excursion - Mrs Preston tells me old Steve took with him Parson Stiles' son - & would pay all his expenses - this is a new phase in the life of that gold loving mans [sic] life. Perp Perhaps his misfortunes have opened or softened his heart. I hope it may be the case -----

Everyone has a right to do as they please - but I cannot but think M^r Woolley may have come here for a little while - I am sure Amanda would have preferred being near me -. I may or may not return to Allentown. If I can remain here until the beginning of October I would prefer doing so than to go even then. I was have not written to Euphemia for some time - I really have a great deal to occupy my time - & it seems diffi-cult to write in the day - the children all make such a fuss when I write at night. I find my eyes better than they were some weeks ago - I would rather any other bird had died than that beautiful William Couper. Do Tootee dear make Maria seek for spiders - the black spider if eaten is certain death to the Canary bird. I will try & think no more of him - tho' I do feel very sorry. I am very glad to hear that Lady has raised me so many turkees [sic] - I shall need all to feed on when we return. I shall want ducks too - but not sick ones

Tell the dear babies that we talk about them every day & long to get back to them. Give our warm love to dear William. I hope Mrs Gale will not make herself sick to add to your cares - Have you not been able to persuade Sarah Bourke to make you a visit? Dear good Sarah! She treated me more as tho' I was her Mother than a friend. Bourke I believe did not ask leave of absence & could make but a short visit. I saw the account of that murder in a Savannah Paper this evening - I will now stop & prepare for bed - Good night my darling Tootee - May the Choicest blessings of God! rest on you & yours - & May His mercy permit us all to meet again is the fervent prayer of your devoted Mother AM King

[written in pencil] [end 6 Sept 1852] [left of page]

7^th September [upper right corner] [1852][written in pencil]

I had another letter from M^r Woolley this evening he confirms the report of poor Mary Kings [sic] death Oh! my child how terribly has that family been afflicted Poor Stephen!! And yet perhaps those two girls are most to be pitied - Amanda was still suffering from a cold. They still are determined to stay where they are until towards the last of the month when they go to Philadelphia to prepare for their move south either in the state of Georgia or by land. I rather think they will decide on the latter. Lord did not return today. I hope he will come tomorrow. Another Professor died yesterday - two within 10 days - the oldest & youngest of the Profs Kingsly & Norton. Mallery your sisters & the Misses Jackson have gone to a kind of concert tonight - they [took?] little boys to some show - I am alone & my thoughts wander to you my own precious child - I dread every week to hear that one or the other of you have been sick. I need not entreat of you to avoid the hot sun or the night air - you have a careful watchful husband to take care of you. - I hope he will also be careful of his own pre-cious self. I have experienced very little warm weather since I came to New Haven - latterly the temperature

has been delightful. More of what we have too much of at home is much wanted - that is rain - The dust is terrible. I am just interrupted by the return of the girls - They have been delighted with the singing of a little girl of 8 years old. I have been thinking that perhaps my poor little bird died from the smell of paint, tho' I rather think it was a black spider. My pretty favorite bird! It was Strakasch [Strakosch] who playd [sic] on the Piano - Miska Hauser - who played on the violin - & little Signorina Adelina Patti who sang. I am almost sorry I did not go -

I must now conclude for the night - Kiss each dear babe over & over again for me. My warm love to dear William in this each dear sister & brother unite. Rhina begs to be remembered to all - Say Kind words to my people for me, tell them I long to be at home once more, for after all there is no place like home. God! forever bless you my darling - Your devoted Mother AM King

[written on right side of page] 8^th September

Mallerys [sic] cold is still bad but he is not laid up with it - the rest of us as usual - Tip begs you to let him know how little Henry is - I dreamed last night that one of Rose's' [sic] babies had been killed & that Nancy had a baby - I hope the first may not be true -

What a lovely day this is - If you all were with me - I do think it would be delightful here. - God bless you my own darling Your Mother AMK

10^th September 1852 [upper right corner]

My own beloved Tootee

When I used to receive letters on bits of paper from the girls I wondered that they could not at any moment get paper - I now find it difficult to keep a supply of any thing - pins clean clothes paper pen ink - nothing comes easy this is a real unpleasant state of things - one that I am heartily sick of, & would be glad to change for even the trials of a plantation life. But to begin my own darling in my usual prosing way - I fear my last letter did not reach you on the usual day - this was owing entirely to the want of a stamp. But to proceed - Our colds are better (i.e., Mallerys [sic] & mine) - if this dry weather continues I fear the other children will be complaining - I know that I would be all the better for some exercise but it does seem a most difficult matter for me to get out of the house. We have fallen into a very bad habit of sitting up late that brings on the worse one of sleeping late in the morning - & there is never a day that I am not obliged to help Rhina mend seats

In all my life I never saw so much destruction to clothes - all of which I attribute to the length of the dresses - & carelessness of work in women, then we dine so early - but dear me why should I waste time & tax your patience by entering into these details --

On Wednesday evening G & myself sallied out to return calls - the afternoon was very warm & we really hoped the ladies would all be indulging & be denied - but no such good luck - all were at home - so that we only made 5 calls - only four more due - & what do you think already 4 new ones have called & many more threatened. I really am very much obliged to the good people for their politeness but would rather be let alone. I dislike calling or making new acquaintances. Whilst at breakfast yesterday morning I received a card on which was written Mrs Roswell King of Georgia - will call at 1/4 past nine. So she did call. I have not seen Julia King for more than 20 years. She is much

[top right, in pencil] [23 broken, seemed very glad to see me & enquired very particularly after William and yourself. She soon got on the favourite hobby the surpassing good qualities of her son in law. I wonder if she really believes him to be as perfect as she would try to make people believe. Well! well! we all have our weaknesses & this is hers I suppose. Her son in laws [sic] parents live in this town, their house has been pointed out to me, a nice looking residence - Mrs. Wells called for Julia King & said she would very soon call to see me. Last evening Mrs Jackson & myself hired a carriage & sent our daughters out to ride - dear good Mrs Daggett accompanied them. What a truly good woman she appears to be

Mrs Devereux called last evening She has just returned from their summer excursion - She made me quite a long call - then came a Miss Reed - a very pleasant young lady an intimate friend of Lillie Devereux's - She has just returned from Europe. Our dear Lordy got home last night = he tells us that his Aunt & Uncle are quite well & very happily situated at the Metropolitan Hotel. This is said to be the finest Hotel in the world. It is 6 stories [sic] high & each story [sic] is calculated to accommodate 30 families & 100 single gentlemen It is finished & furnished from bottom to top with equal grandeur - The first day it was opened 300 persons were turned off - so quickly had it filled up. Andrew had his rooms engaged some weeks before the house was opened. I have a great desire to let G & Flora spend a week with Louisa before we go South. They will then be able to tell you all about this great house. Were it not for fear of these dear children being made sick I would return home at once. I am tired of the life I had - so unprof-itable, & so expensive. You & I naturally supposed it would be so easy to make good bargains here - I am utterly disgusted - so much cheating over-reaching, I never believed could be practised - One Landlady told us she want[ed] to get a carpet not long since at the best Carpet establishment here. She told the merchant what she wanted & added that she was willing to pay a fair price &c was no "jockey", &c &c - he agreed with her that jockeying was a shameful practice - he never was guilty of it &c / gave her the carpet at his very lowest price 87^1/2 cts., the very lowest he could sell for - it had cost him 80 cts at Auction in N.Y. The same day one of her neigh

[written in pencil] 10 Sept 1852] [centered] [3] [upper right corner]

-bors [neighbors] - got a carpet off of the same piece at 75 cts - & after her another neighbor one at 62^1/2 cts per yd - Miss Lines is a Yankee & has lived all her life in New Haven. It was from this very man I got our carpeting. There are a great many things I really do want - but I hate to be jockeyed - & have as yet got nothing except those carpets & feel that I was cheated then. I really am sorry that the parlour carpet held out so badly. I do not suppose I can match it even if I could recollect the colour & pattern, if you will let me know I will get some as near it as I can. Lord ordered the shade for the bust - it will have to be made. If I had you or William with me I doubt not we could make some capital bargains. I am myself quite incapable of doing this & the girls are even worse than I am. I shall look back many a day with regret at the sums here wasted, it is a little here & a little there. I put down every cent that is spent or I would be certain I had been robbed. Mrs R. King tells me she has 6 children with her. I presume she includes her immaculate Son in law & his wife. But she will not spend as much money as I shall - She stops more with relations I would rather suffer as I do than tax the hospitality of my husband's brother. I do hope my darling that I may be able to leave for home by the middle of October at farthest. One or two weeks may make but a little difference but I do want to get home so much. It is again distressingly dry here - the dust is insufferable & for the last few days it has been quite warm. M^r Woolley has determined to go home on the first of October either by way of Philadelphia in the State of Georgia or by way of Wilming-ton - He seems to have forgotten every other feeling in the love of sightseeing & as he has once been in New Haven does not care to come here again he is quite satisfied in his Dutch Tavern in Allentown. I do regret very much your sisters having been kept so stationary. I did want them to go to Niagara, but they seem quite happy here & are quite well. The little boys [sic] regular schooling began yesterday - Mallery will begin on the 15^th I hope the two[-]former may be pushed ahead a little so that I can get on better with them until your dear Father returns. Lordy says he will help Mallery with his studies - I have agreed to employ Mrs Lara

if she will come to me. I shall not be able to send Flora & Appy to a boarding school next year, & they could not lose the time it would take to make another crop. I have seen Alic Couper but twice - he said he was afraid to come too often - we may get tired of seeing him, he is the same Alic Couper he was at home Mall tells me Alic is now in New York. Mrs Gordon sent little George / her grand son to see me yesterday / he is a very sweet baby just trying to talk. Mrs Devereux is quite shocked at Davy's ingra-titude. She says 'well after this tell me nothing about negros [sic]' his leaving so kind a master was bad enough but to rob him shows the real nature of the race!! I do not like to even think of Davy - & yet I never am alone but I see him as distinctly as when he was at home coming to ask me about "Master". I hope poor creature he repented his error & may be forgiven. Rhina is very anxious to return home & if I had a good opportunity I surely would send her - it would be a relief. She does a great many things for us - but it does not equal the expense she is to me, & since Davys [sic] conduct - I have lost all confidence in the colour. Eliza Gordon is spending the morning with your sisters - she is about Appys [sic] age - very tall & will be handsome. I hope & trust my own darling this may find you all well - My anxiety increases every day - I have so great a dread you may all be sick. But I will trust to the Mercy of Him who alone can keep you from danger. Do not trouble yourself to write more than one letter a week to us - I know it hurts you to write & I know you have a great deal to occupy your time. I have every reason to hope your dear father will leave California on the 7^th Novem-ber, in that event you need not write after the 22^nd of this month. All here write in love & kisses to yourself dear William and the babies - Say all that is kind to my servants - & remember us to M^r Dunham. I had intended writing this letter last night but my room was filled with company until near 12 o clock May God! preserve & bless you my children - I will write again in a day or two --- your devoted Mother AM King

[upper right corner] New Haven 12^th September 1852

My own dear Tootee,

It rains too much for us to go out to Church today - Georgia has taken the little boys into one room to read to them. Flora has locked herself up in their room to meditate or write letters. Appy & the two Jacksons have taken possession of my room - & as I could neither read, write, or even think in so much racket, So I have taken refuge with Lord - he is getting ready to answer some letters - in the mean while puffs away at his cigar & brings to my memory the wars of your dear Father when he has letters to write & not the inclination.

I am not very fit to write letters myself - but I know I shall enjoy writing to you better than anything else. Now comes the stormy season & I do not know how you may get through it. Tootee dear you are never absent from my mind I can only trust to the mercy of God! that I may be spared to reach home & find all well who I left there. So many things crowd on - of little interest to relate - so little occurs which is really worth while repeating. I find it far more difficult to make out a letter here than when at home.

I sent you a scrabble of a letter on Friday in time I hope to go by the Steamer yesterday - so that you may get it on Wednesday. I write this as your Sunday letter ---- I think if I could only have the energy to walk more I should not only feel better but be more happy ----