Frances (Appleton) Longfellow to Anne Longfellow Pierce, 17 April 1855
Manuscript letter
Cambridge April 17
1855
Dear Annie,
I am ashamed at my long silences but, as usual, continue them! I have to write so regularly to my sister that it seems to consume all my writing powers, & the children so break up my day the hour never arrives for what I would gladly do oftener, if it were only to elicit an answer.
But I must tell you of our [p. 2] new guest. Who think you have we under our roof? no other than Louly Baylor with her nurse & baby. Her husband sailed in the last steamer from Boston, to be in Europe two months, & she wished to board in Cambridge during his absence, but we took pity on her forlorn condition & brought her here. Her little Louly is just the age of my Edie & they are both blondes, with light curling hair, so look very pretty together & are nice playmates. Louly is not [p. 3] very well, having just weaned her baby, & looks thin but as pretty as ever.
I hope this heavenly Spring day reaches you. It is all balm & birds & makes me feel doubly in what a dead world we have lived all winter.
The chicks are all well. Erny had the scarletina this winter but it left no bad effects & he is as rosy & healthy as ever. Both the boys are studying hard at school & getting on well. Henry hurries me to stop as I am going to drive out, not [p. 4] having been able to walk for some weeks from a swollen ancle [sic] in which I got cold.
With much love to Aunt Lucia, ever
yr affte
Fanny E.L.
Love to Lizzy & babies. I suppose Alex will soon be back.
Louly has with her your wonderful Red Riding Hood. What an achievement!
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Longfellow House - Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site, Code: LONG
Longfellow House - Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site, Middlesex County, Massachusetts Latitude: 42.3769989013672, Longitude: -71.1264038085938