A Letter Written on Dec 4, 1881

306 West Grand St.
Elizabeth N.J.
Dec. 4 - 1881

My dear Mother,

Yours received yesterday morning. Was very glad indeed to hear from you, as the last time Jennie wrote, she said you were not feeling very well, and I was beginning to fear that you were sick. I hope you are getting stronger, and not weaker.

We are having the first dark, damp, rainy Sunday of the season, and our weather prophets say that every Sunday of the month is to be like to-day. It has snowed a little, hailed a little, and rained a good deal. I have been out. The girls and George went to church this morning, and Miss Murphey is at Sunday Sch. now. I suppose I must tell you, though th I don't want to, one bit that I have been again, but not so much so as last time, and will be able to go in to school to-morrow morning.

Have been up since breakfast, and would have got up earlier but Mrs Moore thought I had better wait till the house was a little warmer. Well to begin at the beginning - Thursday morning when I was dressing I felt a queer pain in my body just below the breast bone. I thought it was because I hadn't had my breakfast, so didn't think much about it. I didn't feel like eating, but did from a sense of duty. I went into school at nine as usual, and stayed till twelve[.] I began to feel quite sick, and as if I should faint if I stayed much longer. I called Ida and asked her to hear the few remaining classes and came up to find Mrs Moore. She was in I's & M's room, and so I took off most of my clothes put on a dressing sack and got into bed. Mrs M. gave me ginger tea, and put a hot iron to my feet, and and mustard on my stomach, and we both thought that in a few minutes I would be all right, but no. I laid there about an hour and the pain was no less.

We then thought of some pills the Dr gave me before, and Mrs M. gave me one. They were to be given every three hours, so I had to wait another long time. I got no better though I threw up several times, and had one operation. I told Mrs M. I thought we had better send for the Dr. so we did. He came a little after six and gave me a hyperdermic, [sic] and left me some medicine to take. Of course I got to sleep; and the pain has not troubled me since, though I did not retain any thing on my stomach till about noon.

Friday - I was up all day yesterday and felt pretty well. To-day the effects of the Magnesia I took to work off the morphine have rather weakened me. But I shall feel all right tomorrow. The Dr, was not here yesterday nor to-day, so he cannot be worried about me. He says he thinks there must be some connection between these attacks and the monthly sickness, as they have always come about that time, and is going to give me something to prevent another such. Don't worry about me for I am getting fat, I weigh four pounds more than when I came.

I am tired of writing about myself. I wrote to Nell the other day, hope she enjoyed the letter it was written in bed, I being flat on my back. I didn't say any thing about my being sick, as you would get the news Sat. and have to wait till Monday for any further account and I didn't feel much like talking about it.

Mrs Muldaur is getting along nicely. She will probably be able to go to New York before next Sunday.

I do not know when Mrs Moore intends going home, you will probably know before we do, as she is not going to tell us till the day before, she leaves. I think it will be a day or two after Mrs. M. goes to New York. She wants to help Auntie all she can. I think she is staying chiefly on her account. Auntie received the news of the death of that friend in Boston she went on to see last spring. It is quite a blow to her.

It is getting so dar I can hardly see to write so I guess I will put my writing materials up. Will write tomorrow afternoon, so don't worry about me.

With lots & lots of love
Your Aff. daughter
Alice

Dec 5 - 8.20 A.M.
Am feeling firstrate this morning.

In haste,
Alice