Chapter XVI

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A BUNDLE OF LETTERS.

The letters of Angeline Hall are genuine letters—not meant for publication, but for the eyes of the persons addressed. The style, even the spelling and punctuation, are faulty; and the subject-matter in most cases can have no general interest. However, I have selected a few of her letters, which I trust will be readable, and which may help to give a truer conception of the astronomer’s wife:

RODMAN, July 26, ’66.

DEAREST ASAPH: I am at Mother’s this morning. Staid over to help see
to Ruth, and now cannot get back over to Elminas, all so busy at
their work, have no time to carry me, then Franklin is sick half the
time. I shall probably get over there in a day or two. I have had no
letters from you since a week ago last night, have had no
opportunity to send to the Office.

Ruth and baby are doing well. Franklin has finished his haying but
has a little hoing to do yet—Constant is trying to get his work
along so that he will be ready to take you around when you come. He
wishes you to write when you will come so that he can arrange his
work accordingly. I hope you will come by the middle of August.

The children are pretty well. Samie has some cold. He thinks you
have forsaken him. When I ask him now where is papa, he says “no
papa.” I have weaned him. He stayed with Aunt Mary three nights
while I was taking care of Ruth. He eats his bread and milk very
well now. Little “A” has been a very good boy indeed, a real little
man. I bought him and Homer some nice bows and arrows of an Indian
who brought them into the cars to sell just this side of Rome, so
that he shoots at a mark with Grandfather Woodward.

I suppose Adelaide starts for Goshen next week. I have received two
letters from her.

Now do come up here as soon as you can. I do not enjoy my visit half
so well without you. I am going out with Mary after raspberries this
morning—Little Samie is very fond of them.

Affectionately

ANGELINE HALL.

GEORGETOWN Sept. 28 (1868)

DEAR SISTER MARY, Little Angelo is only twelve days old, but he is
as bright and smart as can be. I have washed and dressed him for
four days myself. I have been down to the gate to-day. And have
sewed most all day, so you see I am pretty well.

To day is Samie’s birthday, four years old—he is quite well and
happy—The baby he says is his.

How do you all do. I should like very much to take a peep at you in
your new home. Do you like it? We like our old place better and
better all the time. You must write to me as soon as you can. Do you
get your mail at Adams Centre? Have you any apples in that vicinity
this year?

Mr. Hall has just been reading in the newspaper a sketch of Henry
Keep’s life which says he was once in the Jefferson Co. Poor house,
is it true?

Much love to you all

ANGELINE HALL.

GEORGETOWN March 3rd 1871

DEAR SISTER MARY: We received your letter, also the tub of apples
and cider. I have made some apple sauce, it is splendid. I have not
had one bit of boiled cider apple sauce before since we came to
Washington. I shall try to pay you for all your expense and trouble
sometime. I would send you some fresh shad if I was sure it would
keep to get to you. We had some shad salted last spring but it is
not very nice. I think was not put up quite right, so it is hardly
fit to send.

We are all very well. Samie has had a little ear-ache this week but
is better. Angelo is the nicest little boy you ever saw.

It is raining this morning. A man came to spade the ground to sow
our peas but it began to rain just as he got here, so we shall have
to wait a few days. My crocuses and daffodils are budded to blossom,
and the sweet-scented English violets are in bloom, filling the
parlors here with fragrance. I do like the spring here so much. We
do not have to wait for it, but before we are aware it is here.

You must write often. I think we shall make you a little visit this
summer. How are Father and Mother and Constant and yourself? Much
love to you all from all of us.

Affectionately

ANGELINE HALL.

GEORGETOWN Jan. 18th ’74

DEAR SISTER MARY: I am getting very anxious to hear from you. Little
“A” commenced a letter to you during his vacation, and copied those
verses you sent so as to send the original back to you. But he did
not finish his letter and I fear he will not have time to write
again for some time as his studies take almost every minute he can
spare from eating and sleeping. We are all well. Baby grows smart
and handsome all the time.

Angelo keeps fat and rosy though we have to be careful of him. Samie
is getting taller and taller, and can not find time to play enough.
Mother Hall is with us this winter, is helping me about the sewing.

How is Mother and yourself and all? I hope you are all well. You
must dress warm so as not to take cold. Have you got any body to
help you this winter? Write all the news. Has Salina gone to the
music school?

I will try to write again soon. Must write to Elmina in a day or
two.

The baby thinks Granpa’s saw-man is the nicest thing he can find.
Angelo is so choice of it he will not let him touch it often.

Affectionately

ANGELINE.

GEORGETOWN March 22nd [1877 probably]

DEAR SISTER MARY: We are working on our grounds some as the weather
permits. It will be very pretty here when we get it done. And our
house is as convenient as can be now. Tell Mother I have set out a
rose bush for her, and am going to plant one for Grandma Hall too.

Samie has improved a great deal the last year, he is getting stout
and tall. Angelo is as fat as a pig and as keen as a knife. Percy is
a real nice little boy, he has learned most of his letters. Asaph
Jr. will go ahead of his Father yet if he keeps his health. I never
saw a boy of his age study as he does, every thing must be right,
and be understood before he will go an inch.

I am pretty well, but have to be careful, if I get sick a little am
sure to have a little malarial fever.

Much love to you all and write soon telling me how Mother is.

Affectionately

ANGELINE HALL.

RODMAN Aug. 13th 1881

DEAR ASAPH, Yesterday we buried Nellie over in the cemetery on
Grandfather’s old farm in Rodman. You can not think how beautiful
and grand she looked. She had improved very much since she was at
our house, and I see she had many friends. I think she was a
superior girl, but too sensitive and ambitious to live in this world
so cramped and hedged about. She went down to help Mary, and Mr.
Wright’s people came for her to go up and help them as Mrs. Wright
was sick, so Nellie went up there and washed and worked very hard
and came back to Mary’s completely exhausted, and I think she had a
congestive chill to begin with and another when she died.

The little boys and I are at Elminas. I came over to rest a little,
am about used up. One of the neighbors has just come over saying
that Mary died last night at nine o’clock, and will be buried
to-morrow. So to-morrow morning I suppose I shall go back over to
Constant’s, do not know how long I shall stay there.

I wish to know how you are getting on at home. Keep well if you can.

Tell Asaph and Samie to write.

With Much Love

C. A. S. HALL.

[P.S.] I do not know whether I had better go home, or try to stay
here and rest, I am so miserably tired.

THE OLD BRICK, GOSHEN
9 A.M. Monday Morning July 14, 1884

DEAR ASAPH: I have just got through the morning’s work. Got up at
half past five, built the fire, got the breakfast which consisted of
cold roast beef, baked potatoes, Graham gems, and raspberries and
cream.

Percie got up with me and went for the berries, Angelo went over to
his Uncle Lyman’s for the milk and cream, and Samie went out into
the garden to work. Breakfast at half past seven. After breakfast
all the boys went to the garden, Samie and Percie to kill potato
bugs and Angelo to pick the peas for dinner. Samie has just come in
to his lessons. Angelo is not quite through, Percie is done. I have
washed the dishes and done the chamber work. Now I have some mending
and a little ironing to do. I have done our washing so far a little
at a time. I washed some Saturday so I have the start of the common
washer-women and iron Monday. I suppose at home you have got
somebody to wait on you all round, and then find it hard work to
live. I have mastered the situation here, though it has been very
hard for two weeks, and have got things clean and comfortable.

The old brick and mortar though, fall down freely whenever one
raises or shuts a window, or when the wind slams a door, as it often
does here in this country of wind.

Lyman has begun haying. It was showery Friday and Saturday afternoon
and some of his hay got wet.

Next month Lyman is to take the superintendency of the Torrington
creamery much to the discomfiture of Mary. [Professor Hall’s brother
Lyman married Mary Gilman, daughter of Mrs. Hall’s cousin.] He made
no arrangements as to stated salary. Mary is trying to have that
fixed and I hope she will.

Now how is A. Jr.? I think he had better come up here and stay with
us awhile if his health does not improve very soon.

How is George?

Adelaide is staying with Dine during her vacation, they both came up
here last Tuesday, stayed to dinner, brought little Mary. I have not
seen Mary Humphrey yet. [Adelaide and Adeline, twins, and Mary
Humphrey were Professor Hall’s sisters.] But the boys saw her the
Fourth.

Affectionately

C. A. S. HALL.

[P.S.] I do not think best for A. to go to Pulkowa.

WASHINGTON Nov. 17th 1887

MY DEAR BOYS [Samuel and Angelo at college] We received Angelo’s
letter the first of the week and were very glad to get such a nice
long letter and learn how strong you were both growing.

I left for New Haven two weeks ago this morning; had a pleasant
journey. A. met me at the depot. I had a room on Wall street not far
from the College buildings, so it was a long way to the Observatory
and I did not get up to the Observatory till Sunday afternoon, as A.
wanted to sleep in the mornings. Friday A. drove me up to East Rock,
which overlooks the city, the sea and the surrounding country.
Saturday evening we went to tea to Mrs. Elkins and after tea, a
pleasant little party gathered there. Sunday, Prof. Newton came and
took me to hear President Dwight preach, in the afternoon A. and I
went to Mrs. Winchesters to see the beautiful flowers in the green
houses, then we went to Prof. Marshes, after which we went to Miss
Twinings to tea then to Prof. Wrights. Monday I went up to the
Observatory and mended a little for A. then went to Dr. Leighton’s
to tea and afterwards to a party at Mrs. Winchesters. I forgot to
say that Monday morning Mrs. Wright came for me and we went through
Prof. Wright’s physical Laboratory, then to the top of the Insurance
building with Prof. Newton to get a view of the city. Tuesday
morning I went up to the Observatory again and mended a little more
for A., then went down to dinner and at about half past two left for
New York where I arrived just before dark, went to the Murray Hill
Hotel, got up into the hall on the way to my room and there met Dr.
Peters, who said that father was around somewhere, after awhile he
came. Then we got ready and went to Prof. Chandler’s party.
Wednesday I went to the meeting of the Academy. In the afternoon
Pres. Barnard gave a reception. In the evening Mrs. Draper gave a
supper, and before supper Prof. Pickering read a paper on his
spectroscopic work with the Draper fund, and showed pictures of the
Harvard Observatory, and of the spectra of stars etc.

Thursday it rained all day, but I went to the Academy meeting.
Friday a number of the members of the Academy together with Mrs.
Prof. Barker Mrs. Draper and myself went over to Llewellyn Park to
see Edison’s new phonograph. They gave us an elaborate lunch.
Saturday morning your father and I went to the museum and saw the
statuary and paintings there, and left Jersey City about 2 P.M. for
home, where we arrived at about half past eight: We had a pleasant
time, but were rather tired. Percie and all are well as usual. Aunt
Charlotte is a great deal better. Aunt Ruth has not gone to
Wisconsin. I sent her thirty dollars to go with. I guess she will
send some of it to Homer to come home with. Jasper has left home
again said he was going to Syracuse. Aunt Ruth has trouble enough,
says she has been over to Elmina’s, and David does not get up till
breakfast time leaving E. to do all the chores I suppose. She writes
that Leffert Eastman’s wife is dead, and their neighbor Mr. Adnah
Carley.

Now I must close my diary or I shall not get it into the office
to-night.

I am putting down carpets and am very busy

With love

C. A. S. HALL.

[WASHINGTON] Nov. 12th ’88

MY DEAR ANGELO AND PERCIVAL [at college], ... Sam. is reading
Goethe’s Faust aloud to me when I can sit down to sew, and perhaps I
told you that he is helping me to get things together for my
Prometheus Unbound. He is translating now Aeschylos’ fragments for I
wish to know as far as possible how Aeschylos treated the subject. I
have a plan all my own which I think a good one, and have made a
beginning. I know I shall have to work hard if I write any thing
good, but am willing to work. You must write often. Father and Sam.
and I went to Mr. Kings to tea last evening. On the next day after
Thanksgiving our Historical Society begins its work.

With love

C. A. S. HALL.

CLINTON, N.Y. Sept. 8th, 1890

MY DEAR BOYS [Angelo and Percival], I arrived here safely early this
afternoon. Miss Waitt and I had a very pleasant drive on Thursday.
We passed the Cascade Lakes. Stopped at the John Brown place for
lunch, then drove over to Lake Placid, we went up to the top of the
tower at Grand View House and had a good look at the mountains and
the lake as far as we could see it there. Then we passed on to
Wilmington Notch which I think much finer than any mountain pass
which I have before seen. We went on to Wilmington and stayed over
night. There was a hard shower before breakfast, but the rain
stopped in time for the renewal of our journey. We arrived at Au
Sable Chasm a little after noon on Saturday. The Chasm is very
picturesque but not so grand as the Wilmington Pass. We saw the
falls in the Au Sable near the Pass; there are several other falls
before the river reaches the Chasm. From the Chasm we went on to
Port Kent where Miss Waitt took the steamer for Burlington, and
where I stayed over night. In the morning I took the steamer for
Ticonderoga. We plunged into a fog which shut out all view till we
neared Burlington, when it lifted a little. After a while it nearly
all went away, and I had a farewell look of the mountains as we
passed. It began to rain before we reached Ticonderoga but we got a
very good view of the old Fort. I thought of Asaph Hall the first,
and old Ethan Allen, and of your great great grandfather David Hall
whose bones lie in an unknown grave somewhere in the vicinity.

The steamer goes south only to Ticonderoga; and there I took the
cars for Whitehall where I found my cousin Elizabeth Benjamin
seemingly most happy to see me. She is an intelligent woman though
she has had very little opportunity for book learning. She has a
fine looking son at Whitehall.

It will soon be time for you to leave Keene. I think it would be
well for you to pack your tent the day before you go if you can
sleep one night in the large tent. Of course the tent should be dry
when it is packed if possible, otherwise you will have to dry it
after you get to Cambridge. Remember to take all the things out of
my room there. The essence of peppermint set near the west window.

They are all well here at the Borsts.

I shall go up to Aunt Elmina’s this week. Write to me there.

Love to all,

C. A. S. HALL.

2715 N Street [same as 18 Gay St]
WASHINGTON D.C. March 28th 1891

MY DEAR BOYS [Angelo and Percival at college], ... I am sorry the
Boston girl is getting to be so helpless. I think all who have to
keep some one to take care of them had better leave for Europe on
the first steamer.

I think co-education would be a great help to both boys and girls. I
have never liked schools for girls alone since Harriette Lewis and
Antoinette McLain went to Pittsfield to the Young Ladies Institute.

I have just been reading Mrs. Stanton’s advice to her sons, “When
you marry do choose a woman with a spine and sound teeth.” Now I
think a woman needs two kinds of good back-bone.

As for Astronomical work, and all kinds of scientific work, there
may not be the pressing need there was for it a few centuries ago;
but I think our modern theory of progress is nearly right as
described by Taine, “as that which founds all our aspirations on the
boundless advance of the sciences, on the increase of comforts which
their applied discoveries constantly bring to the human condition,
and on the increase of good sense which their discoveries,
popularized, slowly deposit in the human brain.” Of course Ethical
teaching must keep pace. It is well to keep the teaching of the
Prometheus Bound in mind, that merely material civilization is not
enough; and must not stand alone. But the knowledge that we get from
all science, that effects follow causes always, will teach perhaps
just as effectively as other preaching.

This makes me think of the pleasant time Sam and I had when he was
home last, reading George Eliot’s Romola. This work is really a
great drama, and I am much impressed with the power of it.

I would say _Philosophy_ AND Science now and forever one and
inseparable....

With much love

C. A. S. HALL.

WASHINGTON D.C. June 10th ’92

MY DEAR PERCIVAL [at college], Your father has just got home from
Madison. He says you can go to see the boat-race if you wish to. A.
Jr. says perhaps he will go, when are the tickets to be sold, he
says, on the train that follows the race? He thinks perhaps he would
like two tickets.

Now about your furniture. When Sam was home we talked it over. He
thought you had better sell to the Fays the bureau, bedstead,
chairs, etc. and that you send home the revolving bookcase, the desk
and hair mattress; and such of the bedclothes as you wish to carry
to the mountains of course you will keep, but I expect to go up
there and will look over the bedclothes with you, there may be some
to send home.

Now I suppose you are to keep your room so that our friends can see
the exercises around the tree on Class-day, I wish Mr. and Mrs. King
to come and Mr. and Mrs. Berrien. Will you write to them or shall I
write?

I expect to go up on Wednesday the 22nd so as to get a little rested
before Class-day. I intend to go over to stay with Mrs. Berrien at
North Andover between Class-day and Commencement.

We have just received an invitation to Carrie Clark’s wedding.

An invitation came from Theodore Smith to Father and me, but father
says he will not go.

With love

C. A. S. HALL.

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