| Transcript or Index | Ingoldmells Feby 4th 1826
My dear Brother
Your last letter dated the 16th of June from Cumberland House I only received on 16th September (franked by Mr Barrow) which conveyed to us the pleasing intelligence of your enjoying good health and in the possession of every comfort the nature of your expedition would admit of your having truly gratifying have all the accounts seen hither to which my sisters have subsequently received and I trust [?]through the power of that omnipotent Being you and all connected with you are now enjoying them though in a dark and gloomy region, I was sorry to find you had not received my letters written last year under melancholy impressions as however we may resign our minds [?]so the all [?]wise decrees the opening the wounds afresh must to every breast cause a pang I could have wished your feelings to have been spared, however my endeavours shall be used to gratify as far as possible your desire, our first letters would convince you the sufferings of my dear departed sisiter were not much abated nor certainly did they appear to increase the whole of the week till the night previous to her [?]dissolution which from extreme restlessness was passed most heavily and of course during the day it continued but I read and prayed with her, she was perfectly collected upon every subject, I even heard her speak [?up], but Mrs Kay’s letters could tell you every thing as she generally kept up her conversations in private therefore my office was really to administer to her bodily wants and read and pray to her. She continued to have light works read to her till a few days before her death and as I was reading she said she did not much like it , I mentioned, then to say I thought the Bible would be more satisfactory to her and I thought interest her more, than those books and I would begin the new Testament, she said immediately she should like it, I began St Matthew’s Gospel and read it whenever I could till within an hour and a half or two hours of her awful change. I had proceeded as far as the 42nd verse of the 22nd chapter when the Pharisees question and answer to it, she then very strong and sharply called out "whose song’’ when I told her "David’s’’ she merely said ‘’mm’’ and let me read on to the middle of the next when she wished to have something done as she ‘’could not lie there’’ I immediately assisted the nurse and we got her lifted upon the sofa where she remained in a more tranquil state than we had ever seen her before, when she had been a short time she wished to be moved into bed, and I confess I thought from her being rather more composed that she would be detained for a longer suffering and I left her bedside without taking leave of her lest I should disturb her tranquility, I went to bed in the idea that another day would be added to her life but judge my surprise when I had only just laid my head on the pillow to hear such a loud [?]shouting in the room below, as made me jump out of bed and run down stairs just in time to see her eyes closing peacefully and calmly resigning her breath without a struggle or a groan, I confess I most earnestly thanked the Almighty for his merciful goodness in sparing her from a more violent conflict it appeared to be suffocation as she made only one effort and all was hushed into repose.
Thus far have I written which will give you the comfortable hope that her spirit took its flight to the Mansions of Glory which our blessed Redeemer has assured us one prepared for those who through faith and patience have fought the good fight. Your dear little girl we continue to have gratifying accounts of she was here with Isabella and Baker in September, she then was very entertaining trying to talk and imitate every thing, she walked about and was a great pet with her uncle since then I have not seen her though I have had many interesting accounts the day they left us I was again visited with the afflicting malady the Cholera which up to this hour makes me a great Invalid but for weeks nay months reduced me to look only [for] the Grave as my refuge, to its confines I was apparantly a destined victim the parting breath was all that seemed wanting to [?...] me with out dear Relations who have gone before as every function of my body appeared to have lost the power of acting from violent sickness I am truly thankful to report this at present of myself and also to assure you that although in a very debilitated state I am daily gaining strength and am now in the situation you saw me last Christmas but the month after being five months nearly a close prisoner to the house, but the greatest part of it I have been confined to my room, and bed, till the last three weeks I never rallied for long to gain strength, to bear the frequent relapses I have been getting into the fresh air the last few days when the weather will permit, I sincerely trust we shall all be spared to meet again and these afflictions which are continually visiting the inhabitants of this sublunary sphere and which have pressed heavily upon my family in various shapes may makes us daily more sensible of the powerful being who can alone grant or deny the blessings we so ardently seek and ask for. I humbly pray for his assisting grace to guide and guard our thoughts towards that goal where through the mercy of our Redeemer we may hope to be for ever [?…ted] where pain and sorrow will be no more. My dear Husband has regained his health and spirits and we begin to wear a brighter [?]color, our thoughts and words are all more cheerful, Mary is much better, she as well I am suffered a great deal, the latter from being at Oxford has been with me a great deal owing to the long vacation and Xmas – February 13th By slow and steady pace have I accomplished writing so far and as I heard yesterday that Mr Garry’s friend did not leave Town for some days I hope to be able to send this forward in time to him, Mary’s letter will tell you all the news about here as I saw no chance of writing long upon any topic, yet I am sensible you will be glad to find I can finish this , I began as soon as either my head would dictate, or my hand obey—therefore excuse the matter being more about self than any thing else and in detatched sentences – a few lines from Betsey said all went well at Ashby yesterday – Mr Booth begs you to accept his best wishes and kind regards and also hopes you will present the same in unison with here to Dr Richardson and your companions, Mary tells me she has promised to do very great things for you if you and the Dr will only write to her, a very pretty stipulation for a young Lady. We heard from Mrs Richardson about two months since, she was then very well, she had received a letter from the Dr giving her an account how you passed your days during the time you were going up the Rivers. Adieu my head is giddy and I must conclude with ardent prayers for your health and speedy accomplishment of your expedition.
I remain ever most truly your affectionate sister Hannah Booth – Mary is soon to visit at Boston Mrs Duggan and at Spalding a Miss Edwards and her Aunt Marie. She will be absent about five weeks. |