Rebecca D. Wylie, Bloomington, Indiana to Mrs. Louisa Boisen, 2126 Prairie Ave., Chicago, Ill.
Title
Rebecca D. Wylie, Bloomington, Indiana to Mrs. Louisa Boisen, 2126 Prairie Ave., Chicago, Ill.
Description
A letter from Rebecca Dennis Wylie to her daughter, Louisa Wylie Boisen about gardening, family health, and fabric.
Creator
Rebecca Dennis Wylie
Date
August 15-16, 1889
Language
English
Type
Letter
Text
Bloomington, Ind.
August 15th, 1889
Dear Lou,
I will commence a letter to you tonight but I doubt if I can finish it before tomorrow. I have just put the children to bed and I feel sleepy myself, although it is only half past nine. We received a letter form you this morning and were glad to hear you were having so nice a time. We are all getting along very well. Lizzie was sick on Tuesday but has now recovered. Pa was a little indisposed but is much better. I have been taking up the Chrysanthemums but find it pretty tedious work. If I take up six a day I think it pretty good work. The greatest difficulty is finding pots to put them in. I am going to buy small buckets. Some are so large that I bought candy and tobacco buckets which were none too large. I have just taken up 20 plants. Your seedling Primroses look very well, no new ones up. The Gloxinias are in bloom and so is the white or rather yellow Begonia. Everything looks well. The roses are beautiful. Mr. Spicer came over today and I gave him the Dusty Miller and Pink seed but not the Pansies. There are three papers, one Diamond Strain, one Diamond extra and the other Tramardeau. He did not know which was his so he will wait until you return. I must stop as I am too sleepy to write more. Good night dear child.
Good morning, dear Lou. It is a bright beautiful morning although pretty cold. The thermometer stands at 56º now about 7 o’clock. I hear Mary singing in the garden but there goes the breakfast bell and I must stop. I did not get time to write today as I was busy taking up Chrysanthemums. I have nearly 40 up and have not more than two thirds. However I shall stop for this week. I bought half a dozen wooden water buckets and two large candy buckets and have used nearly all the large pots and yet have not enough to put them in. Mrs. Murphy has rented her house to Mr. Hamilton and John Keck. She will go to her own house next week. The children are doing exceedingly well. Anton went out butterfly hunting today with Charlie Zaring. I did not get either of the children shoes. Anton could not find any to suit so he said he would wait until you came. We had a letter from B and one from Sedie. The baby has the hooping cough very bad indeed. Brown is going home in two weeks to stay. Pa paid Rob’s bill in full and three hundred to G. Chase. Everything goes on as usual. I suppose the children give you all the news. Give my best love to Mrs. Hamill. How pleased I should be if she would come down with you. Could she not? This season is so much like old times such an abundance of everything, pears, peaches, grapes and all kinds of vegetables. We had our first cauliflower for dinner yesterday and next week will have Lima beans. Do not forget to remember me to Mrs. McCalla and Ella. I would be glad to have them come also. Maggie I suppose is at Bismarck. They will soon know what they are going to do this winter. Arthur writes the people are talking of only electing the Gov. for a year and if they do so, he will not serve. I must stop. I cannot find my book in which I have the dimensions of the quilts but will hunt it up, or else measure them over tomorrow. I want the lining too.
Your loving Mother Rebecca D. Wylie
About the quilts, it will take a 3 ¼ plush if it can be divided into four and 5 ¼ yds lining calico width. Mrs. Murphy wants 50 cts worth of plush any color you please but she seems to like red. Then I would like cord to put round and finish the quilts but cannot tell how much, perhaps there is some nicer finish. Shall I send the money?
R.D.W.
You had better get some cloth for pants for Anton
August 15th, 1889
Dear Lou,
I will commence a letter to you tonight but I doubt if I can finish it before tomorrow. I have just put the children to bed and I feel sleepy myself, although it is only half past nine. We received a letter form you this morning and were glad to hear you were having so nice a time. We are all getting along very well. Lizzie was sick on Tuesday but has now recovered. Pa was a little indisposed but is much better. I have been taking up the Chrysanthemums but find it pretty tedious work. If I take up six a day I think it pretty good work. The greatest difficulty is finding pots to put them in. I am going to buy small buckets. Some are so large that I bought candy and tobacco buckets which were none too large. I have just taken up 20 plants. Your seedling Primroses look very well, no new ones up. The Gloxinias are in bloom and so is the white or rather yellow Begonia. Everything looks well. The roses are beautiful. Mr. Spicer came over today and I gave him the Dusty Miller and Pink seed but not the Pansies. There are three papers, one Diamond Strain, one Diamond extra and the other Tramardeau. He did not know which was his so he will wait until you return. I must stop as I am too sleepy to write more. Good night dear child.
Good morning, dear Lou. It is a bright beautiful morning although pretty cold. The thermometer stands at 56º now about 7 o’clock. I hear Mary singing in the garden but there goes the breakfast bell and I must stop. I did not get time to write today as I was busy taking up Chrysanthemums. I have nearly 40 up and have not more than two thirds. However I shall stop for this week. I bought half a dozen wooden water buckets and two large candy buckets and have used nearly all the large pots and yet have not enough to put them in. Mrs. Murphy has rented her house to Mr. Hamilton and John Keck. She will go to her own house next week. The children are doing exceedingly well. Anton went out butterfly hunting today with Charlie Zaring. I did not get either of the children shoes. Anton could not find any to suit so he said he would wait until you came. We had a letter from B and one from Sedie. The baby has the hooping cough very bad indeed. Brown is going home in two weeks to stay. Pa paid Rob’s bill in full and three hundred to G. Chase. Everything goes on as usual. I suppose the children give you all the news. Give my best love to Mrs. Hamill. How pleased I should be if she would come down with you. Could she not? This season is so much like old times such an abundance of everything, pears, peaches, grapes and all kinds of vegetables. We had our first cauliflower for dinner yesterday and next week will have Lima beans. Do not forget to remember me to Mrs. McCalla and Ella. I would be glad to have them come also. Maggie I suppose is at Bismarck. They will soon know what they are going to do this winter. Arthur writes the people are talking of only electing the Gov. for a year and if they do so, he will not serve. I must stop. I cannot find my book in which I have the dimensions of the quilts but will hunt it up, or else measure them over tomorrow. I want the lining too.
Your loving Mother Rebecca D. Wylie
About the quilts, it will take a 3 ¼ plush if it can be divided into four and 5 ¼ yds lining calico width. Mrs. Murphy wants 50 cts worth of plush any color you please but she seems to like red. Then I would like cord to put round and finish the quilts but cannot tell how much, perhaps there is some nicer finish. Shall I send the money?
R.D.W.
You had better get some cloth for pants for Anton
Original Format
Letter
Files
Citation
Rebecca Dennis Wylie, “Rebecca D. Wylie, Bloomington, Indiana to Mrs. Louisa Boisen, 2126 Prairie Ave., Chicago, Ill.,” Wylie House Exhibits, accessed April 25, 2024, https://collections.libraries.indiana.edu/wyliehouse/items/show/647.