FAWCETT, Henrietta. to Charles Henry Gauss - 1866-09-01
From Gauss and his Children
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Letter
Address
To: Mr. Charles H Gauss, North Mo Hotel, Macon City, Mo
Body
Saint Charles Mo., Saturday Sept. 1st 1866
Dear Henry
Robert received a letter from you to day, in which you say, that I have written only once to you -- which is very true -- but last week, the cool weather effected me so much, that I was not well enough to do any thing, and this week Albert has been sick -- he has had a slight attack of intermittant fever, but he is much better yesterday and to day, does not take any medicine except quinine now.--- We have changed our Physician again -- your Father thought that good old Dr. Provines was getting too old to practice, and made choice of Dr. Page -- we are very well satisfied with his treatment of Albert's case.
Mr. Alfred Johns left on last wednesday morning. we were all really sorry to part with them -- Both Mrs Johns and Miss Florence regretted that they could not see you again, and desired to be remembered to you -- they also left their photographs for you, which I think are very good--
The latter part of their visit was made very dull by the dread of the cholera -- Mr Johns and his wife are as nervous as your Father about it, and took little or no interest in anything after it became so bad in the city -- Miss Florence was not so much afraid of the cholera but I think she was almost weary of St. Charles before she left -- They did not go to Chicago and Cincinnati, as they had intended at first, but went by Louisville, and Nashville.--
I suppose the Tableaux were a success -- aunt Gee, Sis, and the boys went two nights, -- and were quite pleased, but you know that they are no great judges.
Almost every young lady in town took part in the affair, and as they were a good deal exposed, nearly every one of them caught cold, and some have them have been sick since.
I heard that they had made about three hundred dollars, but did not hear they they had painted themselves so awfully.
Tuesday Afternoon
You will see by the date of this, that I commenced it on Satuday but Master Albert interrupted me then, and since that time we have been in the greatest disorder and confusion caused by the rain -- Your Father concluded to put a hip roof on the ell, and therefore had to take the old roof off -- but as we had had such a long dry spell we hoped the carpenters would get the new roof finished before the rain would come, but we were disappointed, the rain did come and about as fast and hard as ever I saw -- of course we had to give up the use of ell, and make a quick retreat to the dining room, with all we could stow away there -- You may be very glad that you are not at home just now -- Our boys are living on very short rations at present -- the only cooking stove we had, was Father's little one, on which we could only make tea and coffee -- but our roof is just about finished, and we can use the kitchen to-morrow -- it is clouding up again but we feel very independent now -- all well except Albert, when are you coming home?
Mother
Source
Handwritten original in the private collection of the Chambless family. Transcribed to softcopy by Susan D. Chambless, 2000.
