Letter
Lowell, Mass. Sunday July 14, 1844
Distant Parents,
It is with pleasure that I seat myself this morning to write to you to let you know of my health which is very good at present. Having a few leisure hours I improve them in writing and I have a chance to send it by Mrs. Walker. I dont know as I can write half a letter as my mind is not upon it, but I will write what I can.
Louisa talked of going home with Mrs Walker but since she had her last letter, she said if she was agoing to start the next day she would not go. What she has heard I do not know. I like in the mill, but my overseer is not the best, or I might say, the cleverest. I do not make much. I did not make only six dollars and a quarter last month beside my board. I pay five dollars for my board a month. I dont know but you will think strange that I have changed my boarding place again. But I will tell you a few of the reasons why I changed so much. The first place I went to was on the Corporation. It was indeed a very good place indeed. They kept about thirty boarders all the time. They kept six in one room. Else had some trouble with two girls she roomed with and she would not stay. We went to the second place. Our boarding woman done very well for about three weeks. If I may say it, she was cross, lazy and nasty. She would build up a fire just before she went to bed, put on her coffee and let it steep all night. In the morning she would get up, build up a fire and go to bed again. We would get up, get our breakfast and go into the mill. (that was when we went in before breakfast). When we came out for dinner we would have what coffee was left from the morning for dinner. We would have a little dry bread, a cracker of two apiece and that was our dinner. We would have a peice of pie once a week and that was our living for about three months. I was sick there and I dont wonder, do you? I left there in about a week after I got able to work. I now board with Mr. and Mrs. Elston on Central Street. They are first rate folks. Judith, Else and I are all the boarders they keep. I have as much as I want and just when I want it. That is all I have to say about my boarding places.
I am well contented as ever. I was glad to see the girls and Dana. The girls were very lucky to get into the mill so soon. They went in the next Monday after they got here. They will make more after they get learnt then I shall, though their work will be rather harder. They say they get tired once in a while. They are well, and they stay contented with the rest of us. Mary and Climena work on the dresser and Else on the Warper. They are about a mile and a half from me. I go over and see them as often as I can. That is not very often I can tell you. They have been over to see me twice since they have been here. Judith talked of going home in August but she has about given it up till October on account of John. He has been very sick. In the first place, his wife broke her wrist and about the time that got well he was taken bleeding at the lungs. He was very sick. He was not allowed to speak. He had to lie on his back all the time and no one was allowed to speak to him. The doctor said if he had not good courage he never would have got over it. And he says if he has another spell he dont think he will live through it. He was taken again a day or two ago and is very sick and his life is despaired of. Though the doctor says if he is very careful he may get over it again, but he thinks it a doubt. I will leave this and write something else.
Ann Graham, if you know her, has got her hand tore off. It was done in the card room. I heard she has got to have it taken off above her elbow. We dont know but she will lose her life by it. Susan Bacon is here and a lot more that I know. Susan sent for me to come over and see her but I have not been. I have received two letters from you since I left home. The first I got about two months after it was written. The second in about ten days. Write to me as soon as you can. Write whether father has paid Uncle Elwin or not, for I should like to know. If mother would like to have me buy her anything and send her, I will. Or I will buy her something and fetch her when I come. I think likely I will have more then. I should like to have her write what she would like to have me get her. Though if I stay still spring I think it a doubt if you ever see me again if my health is as good as it is now for I think of joining the association and going to the west next spring. I have got me two dresses within two months. Two of them cost me three dollars a peice. Six yards and 1/2 in the black, double width. Ten in the other, single width. I have a large cape like them both. I send you a small peice of them and a peice of my cloak. The striped is like my dress, the plain like my cloak.
I hope these few lines will find you all well. I should like to see all of you very much and Delano in particular. We have not heard from Dana since he went to Boston. I expect Byron has got home before this time. If I cannot see you, I hope I shall hear from you. Do not let anyone see this for conscience sake, for I am on the floor and my paper lies on a trunk. I have wrote all I can.
I have wrote all I can on the other side so I will write a line or two on this side. I want you to write as much as I have. Fill up your letters full. I bid you all farewell as I dont know as I shall ever see any of you again.
I have a small bill to pay to the doctor in the course of two or three weeks.
From your absent daughter,
Barilla A. Taylor
