70.14.17s – Typed copy of letter (missing) from N & M Tilton to their children 19 Jul 1846.

Surname File – Tilton

The original handwritten letter is misfiled/mislocated.  This is an OCRed version of a 1970’s typed copy of the letter. Below is a plain text copy of the letter.

19 July 1846
Dear Children,
In anticipation of finding ye box, aoout wh. you had previously Written,
1 called at Saco a epot yesterday, but came near a disappointment, as
there is no expressman, nor ex. office at Saco ana ye captain of
affairs nad nothing to do with articles entrusted to an express. While
talking quite loudly a young man arrived in waggon, an 1 said ye box
haa come ana was a own town at bank’s tavern, i do nt understand now
ye express is connected with boat and cars, ana yet distinct and
separate, must inquire una inform myseif. 1 returned to banks ana re cd.
ye box safe ana sound ana paia for. Rather better lack than with
umbrella of old. Of urn. it may be wise to speak no more, as it and
ye inquiries are worn equally threadbare ere y-s. You understand well
now to make ye hearts bo ana with joy ana gratitude. Muy ye best of
blessings fall to your lot in return for your generous and affectionate
contribution to remember ana make ha~.-py pour mother* s /approaching 80tn
natal .-Anniversary. on ye coming Wednesday you will nave ys. before you,
together with a specimen, we hope, of similar articles as yse. forwarded
to us for ye day, while our thots are mutually fixed on her, uho,
under providence, has been ye head ana arm, stay and life of us axl
nearly half a century , ana who, the often suffering, from pain and
debility, seems to lose nothing of mental brightness, animation and
activity.
Mrs. Storer enquired aoout you la st week, of ye senior’s health in
particular, 1 replied, si ck ana well alternately, ana wishing us “to
live out a green o la age” . She that your wish wonderfully gratified
in your mother’s deep green. Reflecting on ye scenes thro whi ch she
has past ana on what she now sustains, we have no little reason to be
thankful to a heavenly Fath er who rias watched over her ana ail of us
ana permits as still to rejoice together in ye enjoyment of his manifold
mercies on earth. Ana yet it behooves us often to aavert to such
reflections as in your WO psalm by hawkesworth “Yet a few years or
aays perhaps-or moments pap in silent lapse ana time with me snail be
no more” etc.
On Friday lust Uro. Hat ch, of whom we had bo th drehmpt y e aay ana
night previous called and passed ye aay, said sue came on purpose to
wash for us, but Hrs. Finney had washed on Monday previous and your
mo tn er was una erway for a no small ironing but was overtaken by a
severe attack of colic, no thing like it ya summer. Mrs. Hatch’s
coming was verj opportune, uer attention to your mother was like a
mother’s to her child, aid all ironing and every tiling eiae necessary,
was remarkably ..kina ana offered to come ana take cure of mother any
time if sick, or come and wash. The circumstance fairly excl tea
mother’s gratituae ana rendered ola impress tons quite oblivious. The
w man has faults, wm nas not? But she uas judgment, capacity, industry
and ability for business fauna only in a precious few, yt go out to
service. 1 carried her nearly home in chaise not only thinked her
for aer kindness, but lamented her faults wh. deprived your mother of
ye very assistance she most needed. She said sue was sensible of ym.
ana were she to return next season, believed she siiouia yield less to
feelings of ye moment. She de siren, me to say she toot much of you
“th<3 sue naa run away”.
irr to aTMcL 7/19/46
Hi tn er to we have continued co mi Ik our two cows and take cure of ye
milk but finding it of kittle or no use Co enslave ourselves thus,
we gave ye whole concern to Lan ice for Z- ye butter, do ;ou perceive
1 am ridding myself of a task not ye less irksome by cunfingi me to
ye pail ano your mother to ye routine of puns. .No twit a st anal ng 1
cieared ye fields at hoeing. i cannot willingly abandon ym in haying
especially as henry is disappointed in a man to whom he had paid $8 in
advance to assist in mowing. We are letting a part in shares. Mr.
Me L. was taro before we commenced. Ha a we as heavy a crop in proper tn.
we snoulu despair of ye end till a snowfall, hut as our fields were
much winter killed we nope to get thro in summer and in season to puss
a little time ut Hitts. Xou point us to y e curs for conveyance, of
course, if mother goes, aitno we have exchanged our ofc. chaise for
another ana remarkably easy one and own yes, own and .possess a very
good family norse. The full strength of all your old invites to Bangor
1 perceive, is presented anew, ana with, fresh ana addi tional vigor
in your last. We thank you most cordially for so kiiia arid urgent
invitations ana sincerely regret it is not compatible with our circum-
stances to gratify our ow and your wisn.es ye present season. Say , with
our compliments to Mrs. Perham, Hr®. Strickland ana anna yt they
must compensate you for our unavoidable absence. How unfortunate your
neighbor Mr. . Smith*. And how wonderful yt similar casualties are not
more frequent. What do we not owe to ye author and, preserver of life!
Our neighborhood has been not a little alarmed ana agitated till within
10 or 12 days past. Sidney Burnham in ye wigwam opposite us commenced
a high handed career, first killing nis father’s swine ana next at
attempt ut our hens, which leu to a skirmish with myself, it being in
ye daeryard, next nis father’s hens ana endsu in taking away bars and
fences to let creatures into corn etc. etc. Complaint was at length
made to H. and Lsq. Bonnell, and tney directed ye officer to arrest
him- They ha a to break in ye windows ana with, long poles make him
ar op his ax, wh. tney seized and then grabbed and dragged him out ye
winaow and carried him to ye house of correction at Bor tian a wnere he
now is to ye great relief of ye neighborhood.
he nave had a good supply; of strawberries whr la st eo till yesterday,
quite a supply of currants, ana gooseberries for 2 pies. Yes, Henry ,
ail ye Bangor trees are doing well ana we hope you mil yet eat from
ym. us g„od plums in Scar, as grandpapa has at Bangor. The little
folks here are all well, ye measles have been at Hrs. Chases out not
yet reached here.
Cariosity co ala not oe suppressed till ye box was opeinea. Henry had
seen ye letter but could not imagine its contents. While 1 was dining
1 directed him remove ye cover ana open ye oox ana i cl did me as much
good to see all both great ana small gratified with a look ana a taste
as it does Mr. McjL. to see nis friends eat ye fruit or his garden. You
are tnot to be dreadful good folks down at Bangor, wish you lived
nearer. Weather is variable here as with you, rather dry of late.
Mo trier’s ill turn ‘Friday Shrunk her cm; sider ably, out today she is
quite revived. 1 can’t ride so often us she needs, anu dare not trust
ner alone. Hope to be more at leisure soon. reter Wiggin’s saltriver
letters were nuts H. ilxed to crack. You see some funny stories yt
fl I to ATMcli 7/19/46
aont reacn ns arid vice versa probably. When you take up ye pen you
hold on to it like stags. Write on then, we will read, but expect
not an idea in return till Sep. united love and friendly affection to
all ye liousenola ana friends of ye same.
Your affectionate parents
h. ana M. Tilton
P. S. ioaise wi sues me to say now thankful the is hunt Mary for ye
basket and books. 1 think myself they will awaken attention to her
grandma wn. had began to flag.

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