Letter to Horace B. Briggs from his cousin Mary Ann Smith - 1843
Contributed by ErikAnderson
Transcribed by Sylvia Hasenkopf
On envelope:
Horace B. Briggs, Esq.
Lexington
Greene Co, NY
Dear Cousin Phil March 12th 1843
When you write you said you had grown weary waiting for a letter and I don’t know but you will have time get weary again before you get an answer if so I can only beg your pardon and promise to do better for the future You are at a loss to know how to attribute the delay of writing on my part I assure you it did not proceed from indifference or whatever you may please to call it. I will not attempt an excuse, I thought of it very often and the best reason I can give is this, I thought it belonged to you to write first notwithstanding the agreement and under reflection put it off I believe there has no very important events transpired since I wrote home last but Miller’s prediction is the topic if the day. This excitement is not confined to a few, but his prophecies has had the effect to arouse and awaken the mind of almost every person, there is a universal revival in all the churches some have received over a hundred converts within a few weeks Miller has published a paper telling what his belief is and explaining the reasons he says he believes this world will come to an end during the period of March 21st 1843 and March 21st 1844 Many like myself are unwilling to believe or to agree with him but they are scarcely find some proof for contradiction I suppose you hear but little about it there for I find by living in another place that people on that side of the mountain do not receive the light of the age in its full
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splendor they only catch a glimpse of the most oblique rays. Cousin Dan and his brother from Homer came here about the first of March with horses they talk of going home this week he told me he supposed Wilber L. and Lucy left there for Lexington a day or two after he came away I suppose Lucy got homesick tell her she cannot stay away from home as well as I can, I am very contented to not wish to come away, neither do I know when I shall I cannot tell what the prospect will be in getting in to one of these schools to teach most of the teachers in these schools get $200 a year and some more there is a very pleasant school in a little village about three miles out of town it is known by the name of the Rising sun where Mrs. R. father lives Perhaps I shall go there if I do not succeed in getting in a scholl think I shall stay until July or August Mrs. R is going to Homer in Jul and wants me to stay until she comes back to oversee the house while she is gone I assure you I had very fine times this winter. I have been out considerable have attended 3 grand millitary balls besides half a dozen cotillions parties I like them better than the balls none go but subscribers and we are always sure of there being none but first rate I formed a slight acquaintance with two or three young gentlemen but I will tell you nothing about them this time. Out of nonsense I went to the fortune tellers last week She did not tell me a very good fortune but I do not believe they know any better than I do she said there would come a gentleman from a great distance to see me and I would return with him
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That I would have a slight sickness about the time I would
start but I could be on my feet and take care of myself that I would hear of a
letter being sent to me from a great distance that I would have some trouble in
getting it but it would finally come and contain bad news she said there was
tears and grief shed for me, that I would see trouble in different ways I cannot
tell you half she said but presume I have “..illegible..” you more than wish
to read. I go to school and am very well satisfied with it. My studies are
geography, grammar, arithmetic, dictionary, astronomy, history, writing and
painting. I cannot say much in praise of the weather this month so far it is
rather cold and lowsy have you seen the comet it was seen here nearly every
evening this week from 7 till 8 oclock it was not seen every evening on account
of cloudy weather Lodeim(rest missing) I congratulate her upon going to school
this winter is she (missing) to Hudson or Prattsville this spring and another
time if you leave a page of blank paper I shall send it to her to have her fill
it with something. If she cannot find news, write something that will not be
news How and what are all the friends in Lexington doing, any particular changes
taken place since I left. Tell the family am well and that I received a letter
from home last week, tell Tailor I wish he could write and that I shall answer
James ther next week but I weary your patience with too many inquiries. I will
close this epistle with a request that you will write again. And give my
compliments to all the inquiring belles and beaus. I remain your affectionate
cousin