Southbridge. Last day of Jan. 1847.
Am I so faulty as you represented. Just listen. I wrote you in Nov. sent it just before I recieved [sic] your first communication from Willoughby so when that precious letter came I did not feel in debt, delayed writing because I had just written. Surely I did not mean to delay so long Rosa. I am inclined to think you never recd my letter sent in Nov. as you make no direct allusion to it.
But enough of this. I will close up apologies by saying forgive, forgive if need be, hoping the future will tell of more frequent & copious pouring out of feeling and sympathies between us, who ever must be sisters. Your "Happy New Year" was duly recd. Ten thousand thanks for your sweet letter. I did want to answer it immediately, but left for my Sturbridge home about the time of its reception and have found no opportunity since. Dear Rosa where shall I begin to talk with you. I have so many things to say I know not how. The way is too straight for me. Do you ask where and how this winter is passing with Beulah? Here I have been in this dear family, its cares and business have taken a large share of my time and attention. Some has been devoted to the mental improvement of my dear nieces who have been studying at home instead of attending school. Just look in to our parlor this morning. Take this vacant rocker at our fireside. You see sister Fiske, in very much better health than has been her portion for many months, busily making her husband a shirt. It is Sarah's practising hour and we will not take much notice of her, nor call her from her piano just now. Her "scales and exercises" from the instruction-book need not attract our attention. They do not annoy me so much as my bad pen does, nor as my illegible scrawls will trouble you.
Carrie is getting her lesson in Rev. A. Hist; "says are you writing Rosa." Give my love to her. Besides Hist. she studies Grammar, Arithmetic, Writing. Sarah has recently commenced taking music lessons, of her cousin Ellen Bacon, practices two hrs. daily, spends two on Latin. I think you will imagine how my time is spent now. It is a lovely morning here, how is it in Ohio?
Rev. Fiske has gone over to visit mother today. I envied him the walk almost. By the way guess who is at "Breakneck". All three of Louisa's brothers. It is recess with Salem. Saml. is visiting from Lowell. I believe you are good for keeping secrets are you not? As you are away in Ohio I will venture to tell you that my sister L. is to join hands in holy wedlock with cousin Henry Fiske of Sturbridge sometime in the course of the spring. She is now at home, attending to certain preliminaries. I may spend some of my time in helping her. Her matters are not very generally understood by the public
generallyas yet, & I have never put them in "black & white" before. Is it wicked to marry cousins?Feb. 8. A week past - and I have made no visable [sic] marks for you dear Rosa. But I have thought of you many times in the social circles of "Breakneck" within the last wk. I have been home & spent four days since you were addressed at the head of my sheet. Fri. eve visited at Salem's home where were gathered all Mrs. P's family save one. Could space have been annihilated [...] and Rosa would have been called in, but no, too many hills & dells divide us. Sarah returned yesterday to Mr A's. - requested much love to you as also did the others of that fireside which has been your quiet vacation-retreat. S. spoke of enclosing some messages to you in my letter, but time did not permit I presume. I forgot to ask him about it last eve. This morning stage took him away to his studies where he is to remain another eleven weeks before vacation. I saw cousin "Fanny" last Sab. at church. She told of a happy meeting at Hartford between cousin "Hatty" & roommate Miss Wellman, and herself. F. did not expect to find them there as vacation occurred a week earlier than she expected. And "cousin Lucy" C. visited Louisa at Mr Wright's[.] Do you not almost envy her? I thought it too bad that Holyoke teachers from Sturbridge should spend vacation away from their home.
Has the long dead silence between you and Louisa been broken yet? "She marvels at your long delay". Should you direct to "West Haven Care of Rev. E. Wright" I think she would be made glad by words from her sister. Rosa was your physician's name Dr. Jonathan Gibbs? If so he is an old school-mate of mine, a native of Sturbridge.
Did you leave a flannen skirt at the Sem.? L brought one to me supposing it to be mine which I do not claim. What shall I do about it?
My dear mother is pretty well; and wished to be remembered to you with very much love[.] How progresses the Spirit work in your Sem.? How high & holy the privilege of being engaged as you are in the work of saving souls[.] Heaven make you wise and faithful even unto death[.] Divine influences have been around the church here, a few (ten) have recently professed themselves to be Christ's by being buried with him in baptism. How is Mrs. Burgess now? I almost never
havehear from those dear ones on foreign ground[.] Sister and the girls send a bunch of love to you[.] Do please write me a letter soon soon soon and tell me every thing about my loved sister Rosa. I must close with the love of just the same unworthy but loving[The salutation "sister dear" led me to search Rosina's family tree for a sister or sister-in-law named Beulah, but no luck. Then I wondered if "sister dear" meant that the letter writer was a close friend to Rosina, perhaps someone Rosina knew when she was a student at Mount Holyoke, since they talked about the Seminary in this letter. That led me to identifying Beulah as Beulah Belknap, a Mount Holyoke alum who lived in Southbridge, where this letter was written. Beulah's mother was Deliverance Fiske, and the link to cousin Henry Fiske mentioned in the letter. Henry's parents were Daniel Fiske and Amy Fiske (second cousins, and Amy's parents were also cousins to each other), and Henry married Beulah's sister Lydia. (You'd think that with several generations of cousins marrying cousins in Beulah's family tree, that she would consider it very normal. I find it interesting that she is questioning the ethics of it in this letter. I wonder what got her questioning it.) The man named Salem mentioned in the letter was Salem Plimpton, someone Beulah would be marrying in a few years.]