F&M6/V/2/12 1860
11 24 WR to ER Honolulu
Honolulu Nov 24th 1860
My Dear Elly,
We had 3 mails at once on Wednesday, which brought us your
letters of Sep 18th & Oct 30 (enclosing [pattern]) with the
intelligence of the advent of the [ ] newcomers, and of the well being of the
mothers thereof; upon which happy events, please receive our hearty
congratulations, and also, best wishes for the welfare of the respective
infants, male & female that have thus come into ³this breathing world² just
too late to be counted in the census I suppose. There, that sentence reminds me of Mr. Nicklebyıs style of
talk, but let it go, for time presses, and I canıt throw this away to commence
another, in more shipshape manner.
Rebecca has been very busy for the last 3 weeks in preparing
for the grand fair originated by the Queen for the benefit of the Native
Hospital, she being one of the ladies selected to preside over as many tables,
and I have been aiding her, as much as possible, even onto the making of toilet
mats &c.
The fair came off on Thursday evening & was [added at
top of page ³All the contributions from home sold well²] successful beyond all
expectations, realizing over $1,600.00.
A large sum for this place during hard times. Rebecca & Mrs. Bishop joined tables, as did two other
ladies, thus reducing the number to 4.
I acted as receiver of monies, and we took in $221.25, more than anyone
else except the Queen, who had a 5th table to herself.
We had a fortune telling Gipsey woman that Rebecca and I constructed,
poetry by us two & by Mr. & Mrs. Austin, and she, to the hands of a
pretty young girl made over $20.00, at only 12 ½ cents, a trail!
With the 3 mails arriving the evening before the fair; [ ] the have mail to leave to day, we hardly had leisure
to read the news, much less to [
] to paper.
We hope John may remain at West Point, both on his account
& on yours, but if he became so thoroughly dissatisfied at the beginning I
fear he will give up the berth.
And George has taken a partner in business, an indication of
its increase beyond his own ability to attend to it, upon which he is to be
duly congratulated! In course of
time I suppose the firm will be G. G. & Son!
My lameness still compels me to use crutches and I have not
walked farther than next door for two months: I think it is now mending again & hope in two or three
weeks more to be able to go about
with a cane only: but should this
happen it will of course be but a transient relief, as I must expect nothing
better than to fluctuate between partial & entire lameness for the
remainder of my days, be they long or few.
Rebeccaıs health continues better – occasionally she
has a sleepless turn, as on the night of the fair, but afterward sleeps
naturally & well – A happy result for her and for me also.
Your friend Mr. Mylles of ³Bonnets of blue² memory, gives a
grand fancy ball next week to which he has not invited us, as he has not spoken
to me, since our return here in 1856 because, I published him in the newspaper
for making a false attack on Comm Jones, and thereby brought down on him for so
doing, not only the Comm himself, but the U. S. Govt. thru the Commission
here. He has never forgiven me for
this. Nor will he even speak to
Rebecca, not even at the Palace the other day when she went there to a meeting
about the fair. But he does not
allow his ire to extend to all the family as is evident from his note to
his benefactress Miss Elea Reynolds of 1829 Spruce Street.
I will return you this Extraordinary Epistle by the next
mail.
By this time, the election fever has entirely subsided, and
from all the indications that have reached us, I suppose Mr. Lincoln has been
elected. We shall receive this
news about the 7th to 10th December. The Pony Express – which brings
us very recent intelligence greatly in advance of the mail – we have had
dates from Turin by it as late as by the mail from N.Y.
I hope you went to the opera & saw Baron Renfr[un] to
your complete gratification & what may be more to the point, I hope the
Baron saw you!
Excuse a very bad & imperfect letter & with much
love to all, mothers & babies particularly, I am ever affectionately
Your
brother
William
Miss Elea Reynolds
1829 Spruce Street
Philadelphia