Hello Nimbyforest,
From Nineteenth-century American children & what they read:
Woodworth's Youth's Cabinet (1846-1857) printed letters from
subscribers, who wrote to "Uncle Frank" and "Aunt Sue" on a variety of
topics. Selections describe the inconvenience of long skirts, going to
school by sleigh, chasing bears in Michigan, and how to make a
cornstalk fiddle.
http://www.merrycoz.org/CHILDREN.HTM#cabinet
There are fourteen letters from subscribers to Uncle Frank and Aunt
Sue at Woodworth's Youth's Cabinet (1856-1857).
Read them here:
http://www.merrycoz.org/cabinet/LETTERS.HTM
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From a Little Girl Waiting to Come Home. 1881
PARK SEMINARY.
"Dear Mamma:?Oh, I am so tired of this place! I cannot learn so many
things at once; and I cannot bear going to bed without kissing you.
You know, mamma, I have never been away from you before, and I feel as
if I should die of grief if you do not let me come home again. Do,
mamma, do, and I will love you forever.
Your miserable child,
DOLLIE"
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From a Young Lady to Her Mother, Absent from Home.
TOLEDO, May 16, 1881.
"My Own Dear Mother:?We are looking forward most impatiently to your
return. Home will be sweet home once more when we have you among us
again, for we have all missed you sadly these long evenings. The
little ones are wild with delight. Their heads are full of projects
for little surprises to give dear mamma. The choicest flowers that
each can claim as her own are watched with anxious care, and are
destined to be sweet offerings of their love to you.
I hope, dear mother, you will be pleased with my household management
during your absence. Papa considers me quite clever, and a credit to
your able teaching; still I know I am but a beginner, and each day I
feel more and more the need of your teaching, particularly in
directing the servants, whom I cannot praise too much for their
attention and industry.
Hoping that nothing will delay your long wished for return, with best
love, in which all unite,
Believe me, your own
Fondly attached and loving child,
JANE M. CLAY."
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From a Young Lady at School to Her Mother.
SOUTH BEND, IND., April 19, 1881.
"My Dearest Mamma:?Although I was almost heartbroken at parting from
you for the first time in my life, I felt that you would never have
let me quit home but for my own good; and I hope I am not ungrateful
enough to prefer mere selfish gratification to future welfare.
I find school much less disagreeable than I had expected. There are,
of course, many variations of disposition?for a school is like a
little world?but, for the most part, the girls make themselves very
pleasant to me. Mrs. Bond is kindness itself, and sets an example of
mutual good will to all of us.
My studies are, I think, progressing satisfactorily, although I am, of
course, in the background as yet, especially in my French. The music
master is rather passionate, especially if we play out of time, which
you know, dear mamma, used to be an unfortunate fault of your Bertha.
But he takes great pains, and I think you will have less to complain
of in my playing when I return.
How I long to kiss and embrace you again! God bless you, dear mamma,
and believe me,
Your ever affectionate child,
BERTHA"
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HIGHLAND PARK SEMINARY, June 10, 1881.
"My Dear Parents:?It is with mingled feelings of regret and pleasure
that I announce that the termination of this half year?s work is fixed
for the 25th instant. I sincerely hope that I shall not only find you
both in excellent health, but that you will be satisfied with my
improvement since I last left home. No pains have been spared by any
of my teachers to render me worthy of your good opinion; and I must
ever feel grateful, both to them and to yourselves, for the pains
bestowed upon my education.
Miss Clark desires me to present her best compliments; and, with my
best love to my sisters and brothers, believe me to remain,
My dear parents,
Your ever dutiful and affectionate daughter, Clara"
http://web.archive.org/web/20041105123619/http://www.people.virginia.edu/~rmf8a/gaskell/Ltrs_Dom.htm
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Lula's Letter: A Child's Story
Harper's Weekly, July 23, 1864
"Mamma," said my little daughter, "may I write a letter to a soldier?
All the girls have."
"Write a letter to a soldier, my child?"
"Yes, mamma. Maggie and Mary have written theirs and put them in the
comfort bags, and we think the soldiers will be so pleased to find a
letter. We sewed all yesterday afternoon, and Maggie?s mother is going
to send them away as soon as I write. May I?"
Leave granted, Lula brought the wherewithal, and sat down gravely to
the production of an epistle. After an hour?s hard work she brought it
to me, nicely copied for the final reading. The composition was
unassisted, and ran as follows:
"Dear Soldier,--We have all been making things for the soldiers, and I
send this comfort bag to you. I hope it will be very useful. How queer
it must look to see a man sewing; but I suppose it must be done when
there are no women. I think it is very good of you to fight for the
country, and I love you very much for it. It must be dreadful to get
wounded so far away from home. I hope God will take care of you, and
bring you safe home to your friends. I must stop now. Please answer
this letter, for I want to know who gets the bag. My papa is Mr.
George Nelson, Brooklyn, New York. You must direct to his care. Your
affectionate little friend,
"Lula."
http://www.civilwarliterature.com/4Children/LulasLetter/LulasLetterText.htm
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[1835]
My dear Aunt Vinal
?I have made you a little bag as you asked me to, all but the
beginnings and putting the strings in. I should wash and iron it but
Ma' wants it this morning to put into the bag of sage to have it all
ready when Mr. Dickenson calls.
I go to school every day, but not to Miss Mary White; my Ma' keeps
school every forenoon and I made your bag in Ma's school and I learn a
spelling lesson and read every day.
Yesterday Ma' had company all the forenoon and went to the Sewing
Circle in the afternoon so that she could not have any school, and I
had a real time running about, I wish company would come every day,
for I can learn to sew and read just as well when I get to be a great
girl like Cousin Martha; and it tires me dreadfully to sit so still; -
Ma' says I am a better girl than she feared I should be. I wish I was
teacher and Ma was my scholar, I'd let her play all the time.
I am making a bag now for Cousin Martha, I wish she would come back to
Amherst; I told Ma' I'd make one for uncle Vinal too but she said a
gentleman would not care about a bag. I shall come and see you one of
these days, and when you get to be an old lady and I am a great woman
I mean to help take care of you, for Ma says you took care of her when
she was a little girl.
Your affectionate niece,
H.M. Fiske
Ma' wrote this for me because I cannot make anything but great o's,
when I am grown up I shall write as well as anybody.
Helen.
Love to Uncle Vinal, Grandpapa and cousin Martha.?
Read more letters here:
http://www.coloradocollege.edu/library/SpecialCollections/Manuscript/HHJ1-1-19.html
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Search terms used:
Letters OR correspondence child OR children 17th OR 18th OR 19th century
I hope the information provided is helpful!
Best regards,
Bobbie7 |
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