January 21, 1899
To: Charlotte Farwell
From: Lucena Brockway, Lake Linden, MI
Recounts the various visitors they have had.
1899-01-21 Lucena Brockway to Charlotte Farwell
Lake Linden Mich Jan 21st 1899
My Dear Charlotte
Your letter came this afternoon late. When it came was glad to get it as I always am.
Saturday evening. Well the 21st is most over and we have had a pleasant day out side & inside. We had Will A, Susie, Lottie, Irene & Will B., Annie[1] & Perry.[2] Gray said he would be here but was in Houghton all day yesterday and to day so he did not get here. Sophie[3] came up and Nell & Children so we had quite a little company. We had in the first place raw Oysters then Lettuce, Egg sliced over it and sallad dressing. Then all cleared away then Roast Turkey, Potatoes, squash, corn, Olives, Pickled peaches, Cranberry Jelly & Chicken pie, Celery. The 4th course was Cake, Maccaroons & Ice Cream & Coffee. Good enough for a Dog as Delia[4] used to say. All seemed to enjoy it. We set one table in the sitting room. Col Wright was here of course. He went to Mr Seuters[?] Thursday came back Saturday evening has been here since. Mrs Wright has been doing very nicely since she went to Mr Seuters, can bear her weight on her feet but cant walk alone yet. The swelling has gone down in her arm & hand since she left the Hospital. Nell is going to Childs Tuesday forenoon for a week before going home. Irene fetched her Kodak and took the group after dinner. Will got up from the table and went to the Coal dock before the men left the work. They did not come until dinner was most ready. I am going to send this to night. Albert[5] is going for the mail so I will send this to night. As I get so little time to write so much talking & _____ I have been trying for 4 days to write a letter and have not got but one page yet. We get pretty tired. Fred’s[6] eyes trouble her very much. She gets along pretty well through the day but she can not study – her eyes pain her so & fairly makes her sick all over sometimes. She has had three different pairs of glasses. These she says are very good. It has been worse lately I think. She has got to stop studying that is all. I had a letter from Theo yesterday and one from Jessie last week. Sally[7] says Jessie is off on a case again. I am glad you told me how much Albert & Pa[8] sent you. I do not know why Albert did not tell us, he may not have remembered at the time so I would not ask him again. Mrs Hults just came in and gave me this gold pen I am writing with but makes to big a mark. Well I will keep it and thank her. Well I believe Albert has gone and left my letter. He is here.
With love
Lucena Brockway
——-
[1] Her daughter, and Charlotte’s sister, Anna (Brockway) Gray
[2] Her grandson, Perry Gray
[3] Sophie Kaufman. The 1900 census lists her as the adopted sister of Albert Brockway; however, the obituary of Delia (Brockway) Perry (January 1893) lists her as a step-daughter, living in Duluth, Minnesota
[4] Her daughter, and Charlotte’s sister, Delia (Brockway) Perry
[5] Her son, and Charlotte’s brother, Albert Brockway
[6] Research continues regarding “Fred” but from previous correspondence it appears that Fred is a female
[7] Her daughter, and Charlotte’s sister, Sarah (Brockway) Scott
[8] Her husband, Daniel Brockway
Letters & Diary Entries From the 1860s through the 1890s 