Kenyon College, Gambier
Knox Co. Ohio
America
March 19th 74

Dear Miss Lascelles,

Your well known and welcome hand was a joyful sight for me. I sent your note immediately after two or three readings to Nannie, she has it now. I expected a note from Maria Parkinson as she is with you and feel sure she would do more for an old friend than write a note had you not been able to do so yourself. It was so kind of you to write to me under such difficulties assured though I may not deserve a note written under such infirmity and weakness. I can yet appreciate your unselfishness. May your earnest prayers and wishes for us return in ten fold on your own head. I think of you very often and your figure and dress are as clear "to my minds eye" as if I saw you yesterday. I could give much to be able to talk with you over many passages of my early girlish days. The true realities of life pressed so hard on me after I left home that I had no leisure to write to friends and this being denied I had no other means of … my gratitude ad the warmth of my feeling towards them. What servant have you living with you. Is it Margaret McGreivy?. Poor Mrs Athinson and Arthur's lives were short. I think she found love? younger than I. I shall always esteem her memory on account of her kindness to you. John (my husband) an I are going to Illinois and Iowa for the Easter recess. We propose D.I. to leave on the 25th of this month in the fore noon and taking a sleeping car through. I dislike them. They are so confined and the odours not agreeable. Reach Chicago the …-up city next morning and go immediately to brother Johnnies and hold our precious one blossom, his baby to my heart, stay that day and the next, visit Willy and Emilie and then continue our journey to Clinton, Iowa which is four of five hours drive in the car from Chicago and stay over Sunday with our eldest son James Trimble and his family, in all four children and an exceedingly nice person his wife. He is an Episcopal clergyman, has the church there and very much liked. Clinton is a rising place since the pacific railroad was completed and a bustling place for machine shops. The ground is all new to us. We have not been in Chicago since "it was burnt up". I thought it then a beautiful city. Now I am told the public and private buildings are striking in their architecture, proportions and figures. Johnnie and Josie keep house. Johnnie's wife's mother resides with him. She is old about 72. Josie is 32. She is very small. She says the baby has beautiful eyes like Johnnie's. This is all right she should think so!! Willy looks older than I do for a man as they do not fade so soon. Whenever I have company for tea I use the trencher you sent to make my butter into prints. No American ever saw better made into prints and the first time I had it so they thought it was cakes. I had to produce all my implements and show them how to make them. In America one has to "get along as they say here in any way they can. It is a fine country for the labouring classes ad mechanics, if they have just average industry they can soon make an independence. Nannie was not very well, she has been overworked and as she is getting into years she feels she cannot do as much as when she was younger. It is difficult to get a servant to live in the country and if they take into their head to leave, nothing will keep them. This was the cause of Nannie's fatigue. Poor Rebecca McMillan. she was one month younger than me. I suffered so much in Killough and for three years after I came here that the Cincinnati doctors gave me up and sent me to Kentucky to some celebrated spring to die. I heard from Aunt Lucy, she is very desolate. Joe used to call to see Johnnie and Willie in Chicago when his business led him there. All over the state of Ohio there is a crusade carried on by the women against the liquor saloons. It is very remarkable!! They form? a crowd and enter the saloons singing and praying till they force the barkeepers to give up selling intoxicating drinks. The state law of Ohio forbids the selling of any liquor but beer and native wine, notwithstanding the bar keepers sell a great deal of whiskey because the laws are not enforces and public opinion was in favour of secret selling of whiskey. Now the women in a measure have educated public opinion and they are legislating for what is called "the ladies liquor law" which is the most stringent. Temperance is very widely spread in the United States. The manufacturers make it at small cost out of Indian corn. Its effect on the human constitutions is appalling and is cheap. There is a great interest in religion too. This long note I hope will not tire you my dear Miss Lascelles. If you cannot write a line perhaps Maria will send a few lines to relieve our anxieties about you. Give my love to all Mr Parkinson's dear family and herself. Also Joe Surch. I am glad he is so well and so well off. Tell Margaret please that Nannie and I were both glad to hear of her and her children. Trust the spirits will resolve you that you will be able to get into the fresh air and sea breeze. My husband has been lame from a rheumatism this winter, the first attack of its kind. He is better. We are all well as far as I know. Don't read this at one sitting as I feel I have already trespassed on you too much. I don't know who Mr Webster is. I suppose Mr and Mrs Campbell are buried n Ardglass. I hear from Mrs Trench with whom I was living when you came to see me in Dublin. John joins me in affectionate love and may we and all we love meet….