Describes a letter received from his mother in England. Transcription: Very much out of sorts, hideous headache and nervous to a miserable degree. I forgot to put down that, yesterday, when I entered [Frank] Pounden's house, the dog came jumping on me and making much of me. He goes on three legs though. 6. Saturday. In doors drawing, all day. 7. Sunday. To Pounden's. He up and about, his wife abed, sick of erysipelas in the face which has lately developed itself; Miss Mary Barr attending her. Stayed till 3, then to 13th st. to convey a note to Mrs P's sister. 8. Monday. Letters from my mother
Describes a letter received from his mother in England. Transcription: Very much out of sorts, hideous headache and nervous to a miserable degree. I forgot to put down that, yesterday, when I entered [Frank] Pounden's house, the dog came jumping on me and making much of me. He goes on three legs though. 6. Saturday. In doors drawing, all day. 7. Sunday. To Pounden's. He up and about, his wife abed, sick of erysipelas in the face which has lately developed itself; Miss Mary Barr attending her. Stayed till 3, then to 13th st. to convey a note to Mrs P's sister. 8. Monday. Letters from my mother [Naomi Butler Gunn] and Hannah [Bennett]. The first tells me that a former letter must have miscarried, that Mrs [Ann] Chinner died last month, that Sam [Gunn] is in business at Harrow on the hill, that my father [Samuel Gunn, Sr.] 'is just the same, very miserable and constantly restless': 'I have been,' writes my mother, 'obliged to leave the warm parlor to write this letter to you, and you can perceive by the writing how cold my fingers are.' They have received'a very dismal letter from Mary Anne [Greatbatch] telling about her affairs and wanting to borrow $400 or $500.' Finally my mother ? God bless her! ? encloses 'a small trifle 5 [pounds], which please acknowlege; do not put it in the letter but in a small piece of paper that I can take away.' 'A small trifle' is it? but ah! what does it mean ? a mother ?s priceless love! It's her money ? the quarter ?s interest of some poor sum fastened on her by my good old grandmother. And that's why she don ?t want it spoken of in the letter which will be read aloud. Oh mothers! mothers! if God's as kind to us as you are, we shall all meet in Heaven, some day! Hannah, too, what a letter has she written to me! I read it with such self reproach, such humility, such tenderness and Title: Thomas Butler Gunn Diaries: Volume 9, page 66, February 5-8, 1858 . 5 February 1858. Gunn, Thomas Butler, 1826-1903
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