A Letter written on Nov 25, 1881

E Wilton Nov 25 /81

My dear mother and sister

Yes Mittie my our oldest has gone never more to come back to her father's home as Mittie Wellman well I cannot say I am sorry though the house seems lonely and it seems sad to have her take her things from the home of her childhood to another yet I say I am not sorry because I believe she will have a good home and has a good kind husband who will do all in his power to make her happy the more I see of him the better I think of him and so do we all, and I feel that God has provided for her far better than we could now I have not to worry that she must leave home to work in the shop for I never thought her able and though she is better than she has been all summer yet she is not well enough to do that and I know mother you feel better about her now I am glad for your sake I suppose she has written you of the elegant present Tom sent for himself and kind and Wed came some very handsome tokens from the little ones B & L a very rich pair of glass vaces [sic] and Willie and Holly a toy of a new kind of material called the Bisque-ornament wish Abby could see it - a large shell on the sea in it a couple on the wedding tour they are drawn by a butterfly over the water and the man holds reins in his hand attached to the butterfly. They have a trunk and valise in the shell, and the woman holds an umbrella in her hand, their faces are covered with smiles and dimples and the funniest little bonnet and hat on their heads I know she will laugh some day when she sees it for N- says she is going to have her to stay a long time when she goes to keeping house besides Mr and Mrs Purington sent an elegant pair of china vases more than fifteen inches tall I should think and large in proportion. Emma your present was very handsome and just what she wanted and grandmas she liked better Anna sent the five cent [...] that she promised real nice so useful and Daisy Noyes sent three pairs of dolly sheets and pillow cases also a very pretty pin this may seem simple for me to tell but I thought you would be interested. She looked very simple and pretty so plain my dress looked better than ever before

Now mother dear how are you I do want to see you ever so much but must wait I am so glad you have been spared the fearful sickness which you had feared - there have been so many deaths in our little town within a few months I almost dread to hear of one sick. Reno and Charlie are so discouraged S- does not care to have them leave home and they feel they must R wants to know if Geo can help him to a place but I know S. would not let him go I write to please him so will you ask him. Wish Abby could see Charlie now he has his little calves yoked they are so pretty, the ground is covered with [...] and it is very cold today. E. will send your bonnet next week but we have been very busy though we had no wedding except Franks family - they came home yesterday the dinner [sic] so we were not alone she was never away from home - Thanksgiving and I hope she will be near us for more years.

I must close
Love to all from
Abby

Were you alone yesterday? Poor Uncle Wood I fear he will never be with any of us again I forgot a pair of napkin rings drawn by little nurses from 1 sister and a nice book from Miss Holt