a bottle. She buzzes to get out, but it’s too cold. Where that child gets her energy, I’ll never know. She’s made me promise to write down her news next, and I will, but I must tell you how she misses you. I sympathize, being a younger sister. I believed my older sister was a queen, ruler of my world. My universe crumbled when she married and left home for Sandusky and the Firelands
.
But I guess this separation may be good for us. You are, after all, a young woman now. We wouldn’t clip your wings or keep you fenced in our yard. You will soon be queen of your own domain, a wife and then a mother
.
I am such a sentimentalist. With half of my heart I wantto hold you back, to clutch my firstborn chick to my breast. And with the other half I envy your youth and your energy. You will soon step into your own life, and that’s tremendously exciting
.
Shame on me. See what this gray sky has done to my disposition. I shall become more cheerful and less melancholy right away. I think I’ll bake a pie. If Miranda helps, it will keep her out of trouble, fior a while at least
.
We love you, Lucy. Come home to us soon. I’ll put this note into Tom’s pocket and send him tomorrow
.
Love
,
Mama
I can barely read the last words, my eyes have fogged up so. But I feel Mama’s care and warmth slip around me like loving arms, comforting me, even from a distance.
It’s odd how distance has freed her to put new thoughts to words … thoughts about my future. We’ve talked before about it—she taught me to sew and we filled a wooden chest with sheets and pillowslips for my own home. But this letter refers to a close-up future. Too close. I’m not nearly ready to leave my family.
I need to stop sniffling and mucking about. I’ll push the serious thoughts aside and read Miranda’s note, for surely that will cheer me up.
Dear Lucy
,
Bad news
.
Reddie flew away today
.
I cried. I wanted to keep him in his box
.
Tom says I shouldn’t mind so. He says God didn’t make birds for us to shut in boxes. He says they should be free
.
I still don’t like it. And I don’t like it that you’re gone. How long do measles take? You belong with us and not Widow Mercer
.
Mama says you’ll come back soon. She says Reddie might come back. He might bring a lady bird and start a nest near our house. I hope so. And I want you to come home right away
. Right away.
Love
Miranda
Not you too, Miri! Now I’m a real mess, missing everybody—even Tom, whom I’ve just seen. I’ll get up and splash cool water from the basin onto my face. How can I become a grown person if I act like such a child? And how can I feel so sorry for myself when Cass lies upstairs, more alone than I can even imagine?
T UESDAY , F EBRUARY 4, 1851
Perhaps it was loneliness that did it. Or else God answered some of my prayers. Whatever the reason, I’m truly grateful.
In spite of a new snowstorm, Cass and I had a lovely afternoon together. Surprising, actually, because we started off blubbering.
I carried her a plate of fresh hot corn bread, ham, and turnips. She pushed the plate aside.
“You need to eat, Cass. I know you feel terrible, butthink about the baby. You need to eat so the baby can get strong.”
She frowned at me. “What you know about terrible?”
I sighed. “I don’t, really. It’s just that I haven’t been away from home before. I feel bad and miss my family, even though they’re just a little distance from here. I shouldn’t be homesick. Your family’s much farther and you’ve left home for good.” I reached up and rubbed at my eyes. I surely didn’t want to cry.
She took my hand and sniffed. “You right about that. I did leave home
for good
. Even alone, I feel
good
not to have that master bother me. But my babies … I wonder where they be.”
Next thing I knew we were hugging each other and crying like babies ourselves. It was then the idea came to me. “Wait! I’ll show you where your children are. I bet Miss
.
But I guess this separation may be good for us. You are, after all, a young woman now. We wouldn’t clip your wings or keep you fenced in our yard. You will soon be queen of your own domain, a wife and then a mother
.
I am such a sentimentalist. With half of my heart I wantto hold you back, to clutch my firstborn chick to my breast. And with the other half I envy your youth and your energy. You will soon step into your own life, and that’s tremendously exciting
.
Shame on me. See what this gray sky has done to my disposition. I shall become more cheerful and less melancholy right away. I think I’ll bake a pie. If Miranda helps, it will keep her out of trouble, fior a while at least
.
We love you, Lucy. Come home to us soon. I’ll put this note into Tom’s pocket and send him tomorrow
.
Love
,
Mama
I can barely read the last words, my eyes have fogged up so. But I feel Mama’s care and warmth slip around me like loving arms, comforting me, even from a distance.
It’s odd how distance has freed her to put new thoughts to words … thoughts about my future. We’ve talked before about it—she taught me to sew and we filled a wooden chest with sheets and pillowslips for my own home. But this letter refers to a close-up future. Too close. I’m not nearly ready to leave my family.
I need to stop sniffling and mucking about. I’ll push the serious thoughts aside and read Miranda’s note, for surely that will cheer me up.
Dear Lucy
,
Bad news
.
Reddie flew away today
.
I cried. I wanted to keep him in his box
.
Tom says I shouldn’t mind so. He says God didn’t make birds for us to shut in boxes. He says they should be free
.
I still don’t like it. And I don’t like it that you’re gone. How long do measles take? You belong with us and not Widow Mercer
.
Mama says you’ll come back soon. She says Reddie might come back. He might bring a lady bird and start a nest near our house. I hope so. And I want you to come home right away
. Right away.
Love
Miranda
Not you too, Miri! Now I’m a real mess, missing everybody—even Tom, whom I’ve just seen. I’ll get up and splash cool water from the basin onto my face. How can I become a grown person if I act like such a child? And how can I feel so sorry for myself when Cass lies upstairs, more alone than I can even imagine?
T UESDAY , F EBRUARY 4, 1851
Perhaps it was loneliness that did it. Or else God answered some of my prayers. Whatever the reason, I’m truly grateful.
In spite of a new snowstorm, Cass and I had a lovely afternoon together. Surprising, actually, because we started off blubbering.
I carried her a plate of fresh hot corn bread, ham, and turnips. She pushed the plate aside.
“You need to eat, Cass. I know you feel terrible, butthink about the baby. You need to eat so the baby can get strong.”
She frowned at me. “What you know about terrible?”
I sighed. “I don’t, really. It’s just that I haven’t been away from home before. I feel bad and miss my family, even though they’re just a little distance from here. I shouldn’t be homesick. Your family’s much farther and you’ve left home for good.” I reached up and rubbed at my eyes. I surely didn’t want to cry.
She took my hand and sniffed. “You right about that. I did leave home
for good
. Even alone, I feel
good
not to have that master bother me. But my babies … I wonder where they be.”
Next thing I knew we were hugging each other and crying like babies ourselves. It was then the idea came to me. “Wait! I’ll show you where your children are. I bet Miss
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