March 10, 1882
To: Sarah Keith, Galesburg, MI
From: Lois Skinner, Ceresco, MI
Apparently Sarah was worried about the possibility that she told her family something that now may have gotten back to Mr. W. Lois was writing to tell her that she shouldn’t feel she was to blame, and that she would talk to Mrs. Cole about it as soon as she could. Lois then wrote that her mother-in-law was sick with a bad cold and her daughter woke up that morning with a cold. Their horse had been lame over the winter and she didn’t think they would ever be able to drive him a long distance again so wasn’t sure when she would be able to come visit and hoped they would be able to come to her.
Ceresco Mar 10th/82
Dear Ma[1]
Now do not let that trouble you. I do not think you are any more to blame than Mate and Ed unless they made you promise not to tell any one about it and further more what buisness had Henry[2] to write about Mr W private buisness. I think it is told worse than it really is for an excuse to get back. I dont think you need to blame yourself nor Nan[3] any more than me for she did not expect me to tell of it out of this Family but I was anxious to know the truth of the matter. I hardly think Mr Coles people will write to Mr W any thing about it. They do not write very often to one another.
As soon as I can see Mrs Cole I will. Mother[4] is sick with a bad Cold, has not been up but a very little this week. She came home last Saturday had some cold before that and we think she took more that day it was such a stormy day. I think she has about the same cough I had when you were out here last. Ina[5] has been feeling quite poorly all the week and this morning she has got up with a cold. The rest are in usual health. Now rest easy dont let it worry you. If they do find it out in Cal. I should not care. Henry had no buisness to write it at all and if they must find fault with any one let them find it with me. I am more to blame than you. You only told it in your own family and it is a pitty you cannot have that privilege. Dont know when I can go home again if ever. Old Jerry has been lame this winter some of the time, so we could not use him. Dont know as we can ever drive him so far again. Hope you can come out here soon. It seems like a good while since I have seen any of you. I am going to send Hannah[6] a package. Dont want any one to open it untill she gets home but let me know if you get it all right. I will see Mrs Cole as soon as I can. Write soon.
from Lois
Written in a great hurry, left my breakfast table standing.
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[1] Sarah is actually Lois’ stepmother; Lois’ mother was Minerva Payson who died when Lois was just three years old
[2] Presume she is referring to her brother, Henry Lindsey Keith
[3] Her half-sister, and Sarah’s daughter, Nancy (Keith) Brown
[4] Her mother-in-law, Sarah (Knight) Skinner
[5] Her daughter, Ina Skinner
[6] Her half-sister, and Sarah’s daughter, Hannah Keith
Letters & Diary Entries From the 1860s through the 1890s 