September 22, 1898 letter to Nancy Brown from Louese Harris

September 22, 1898

To: Nancy Brown

From:  Louese Harris, Shelbyville, MI

Is upset about their mother’s condition and hopes that something can be done to ease her suffering. Wishes Nancy could spend the winter to be with her. Reports that Cora is healing nicely.

1898-09-22 Louese Harris to Nancy Brown

Shelbyville, Sept 22/98

Dear Sister

Yours rec’d yesterday afternoon. I was up home superintending some work. Was very tired and your letter pretty near upset me – that is the part about Ma.[1] I dont know do you suppose Shelton could do any thing for her. If you think he could I will send you a dollar to try him for a month. Seems as if something must be done to (illegible) her suffering. I think it would be nice if you could go up home and stay this winter but as you say you would get so homesick and then again I do not know what Mrs Brown[2] would do up there or what you would do with her. Am sorry Lela[3] has been disappointed again. Has Mr Chappel found her any thing yet. I forgot to ask her when she was here. Jessie[?] had a lovely time in Chicago. Is very anxious to go there and work for Hank.[4] Glad his business keeps so good. I told D[5] I wished he could make penny pictures. Olin was here Tuesday. He told D if he had known that he was going to pay that note of Sam Carsons[?] he would have shut the thing right up here. He was awful mad but I hope he will conclude to cool off. Wish some one could put a damper on him. Grace is peeling peaches this afternoon to can to morrow. Has a bushel. I will have to laugh at Lela. The Dr[6] told me he had an invitation to the Street Fair. Please have her print another picture of her self with the big sleeves.[7] The Dr took the one I had, has it on his dresser. D has rented the kitchen, pantry, dining room & two small bedrooms up home to Johnny Morris and wife. He is brother to the girl Reggy tonight married last week. It makes me homesick to look up there and see some one else in my home or what was my home so long. Cora[8] is up and dressed for the first time to day. Her leg is getting along nicely and what seems so strange they have all said she would suffer terribly with it and she has had no pain to speak of. Has not kept (illegible) since the first night or two. I would like to know if Mrs McKee has done any thing for her. I half believe she has. Mrs Meredith[9] started for Nebraska Monday morning. Was not going to stop in Chicago. Expects to be gone five weeks. The Dr waits on Cora just as much as ever and she is so ____ to him some of the time but he seems to take it all in good part. He is such a nice fellow. I wish he & Cora would get married but I dont suppose he would take any notion to her & I dont know any thing about her whether she would fall in with it or not but I know he would be awful good to her. Well I hate to think of your moving to Chicago but I dont know but what it will come to that or what Pa’s[10] folks (illegible) I dont know. I had a nervous spell last night – haven’t felt very well to day but guess I’ll be all right to morrow. My days work yesterday & the letter was a little to much. I had to go up home & boss the job of vacating those rooms. Mrs Doxey & the Dr did the work but the confusion was enough for me. Well I must close supper is ready.

Write when you can.

Love to all

Lou  

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[1] Their mother, Sarah (Crawford) Keith, who recently suffered what was referred to as a “stroke paralysis”

[2] Nancy’s mother-in-law, Matilda (Allen) Brown, who was living with Nancy

[3] Nancy’s daughter, Lela Brown

[4] Nancy’s husband, Henry Brown, who was living and working at his gallery in Chicago, Illinois

[5] Louese’s husband, Daniel Harris, Jr.

[6] Believe this to be Samuel Boyer who was boarding with Louese’s family

[7] See picture below

[8] The 9-9-1898 edition of the Kalamazoo Daily Telegraph on page 3 noted the following: “Miss Cora Harris of Shelbyville has a compound fracture of both legs, a dislocated right ankle, a broken shoulder and several bad cuts as a reward for rescuing her pet pug dog from the cars. The dog escaped uninjured and the woman is at the point of death.” Cora was the sister of Louese’s husband, Daniel “D.D.” Harris

[9] Malvina (Johnson) Meredith, the mother of Cora (Meredith) Keith who was married to Nancy and Louese’s brother, James Keith

[10] Their father, Charles Luke Keith Jr.

Lela Brown – 10-20-1896 – 18 years old