Source: Hubbard Family Papers Collection,
Special Collections, University of Vermont Library. Additional
information about the collections is available at:
http://bailey.uvm.edu:6336/dynaweb/findingaids/hubbard/
Transcribed by: Hope Greenberg, 14
March 2005.
Correspondence: Louise Denison,
Kalamazoo, Michigan to Aunt Jerusha
Hubbard, Whiting, Vermont. 26 March 1854.
Kalamazoo March 26/54
Dear Aunt--I take this opportunity to answer your letter which I
received in due time. I don't know as I have any new or can say any
thing that will interest you but I want to hear from you again & I
suppose I shall not until I write so I'll try. But enough. We are in
usual health, that is, able to eat our allowance. Mr. Denison sits by
the table reading a newspaper. Willie has taken a walk & Spencer is
on the carpet with an open map before him some of the time tracing the
way to VT & he says if he was only to Whiting [---] he guesses he
should walk to Grandma's pretty
quick, but you say that's rather dull. I wonder if there is
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nothing of a more interesting nature that that, Then just call in &
we'll entertain you as well as we know how, for instance I'll take you
to one of the meetings of our sewing societies which are held every
other Tuesday afternoon and evening. It consists of some fifty of the
most intelligent of our society & some of the Ladies of other
denominations are members so they avail themselves of both societies.
The president usually reads some part of the time from some Book or
paper that is interesting. At the last two meetings she read Horace
mann on the Sphere & duties of Woman. The secretary collects
sixpence from each member which goes to some benevolent object which
the society shall direct. The ladies sew the afternoon for the lady
with whom they meet & so she gives them a tea. They meet first with
one then another. The gentlemen & students come in the evening
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& some of them put in a sixpence or a shilling just as they please.
They are not obliged to but they usually do & it all helps. Last
July the Society pledged them to raise in one year from then $150
towards the erection of the new church. Last Jan. they had over $100 of
it so you see their sixpences amount to something.
The Methodists are holding a protracted meeting. There has been some 18
or 20 convertions. The Presbyterians laso their minister a few weeks
since he went to Detroit was taken sick & died, brought back here
& buried. He was a very smart man & beloved by all. They are
the largest & most popular church in town. I suppose you are making
sugar and are making calculations to come "way out west" this summer.
If you do coax Mother to come too. What does Uncle Asahel say about it?
Tell him there's good farms here & lots of good cattle and hogs,
etc. There is something of a variety of people too. There was a boy
staid at the
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Kalamazoo House over night from Wisconsin on his way to NY city to
Barnum who had offered him 100 dollars a month to go around for a sight
who is only 15 years old & is six feet & five inches high. Mr
Denison saw him I did not & what is more strange he has a sister
only twelve years old that is only 30 inches high. She goes too to
Barnums.
When you write me do tell me if you hear from Uncle E Moultons. I would
like to hear from them. Our last week's paper says at the close of
"Sunbeams in the Forest" concluded so I suppose we shall hear no more
from Mrs. Stowe at present. How do you like it? I suppose you have read
them. I'll soon send the rest. I beg to be excused from sending such a
looking sheet on the pleas of having nothing better than a miserable steel pen. Now
don't you make any more excuses about letters that you write to me for
they are so much better than mine that they would do for copies. Give
my love to all & accept the best wishes of your
friend Louisa M. D.
I hope you have a good supply of patience