Bogg, 25 July 1872

[Image at left: My hand holding this letter, in front of my iMac screen and keyboard]

A letter to James Bryden, now safely landed in America, after a seasick twelve days crossing the Atlantic. Aunt dreams and chides, and laughs at Marion's anxious searching for news of his ship in the newspapers (apparently they didn't always get a newspaper--but when James was at sea, they got one "almost every day"). Aunt even jokes that maybe Marion Glencross won't want James for a husband, and he can come back to Scotland and to Sanquhar to help with the haying. The sending of a verbena plant is discussed, but Marion thinks it would be a "torment" to the folks who had to carry it to America.

This letter seems to be incomplete.

The Bogg
Thursday July 25th 1872

Dear Friend,

I received your very welcome letter on Monday and we was all very glad to see from it that you arrived all safe altho you got a heave going across Aunt always told us that you would be getting a heave after you went away for she dreamed about you so often but you had not a very long voyage when you got there in twelve days. I got a paper almost every day and I could never see the arrival of your boat and Aunt used to laugh and say his is sure to be at the bottom of the sea I am sure your ears might ring for many a time you have been talked about since you went away.

We was very glad to see from your letter that all friends was well when you landed and I know one that would be so glad to see you. We have had a visit of John Johnstone two or three times since you went away and Sarah is a fine strong healthy like girl I think she is very like her Mother in some ways she wants me to set her a verbena plant to take over to Marion she is sure she would be so proud over it. I could plant one with right good will but it would do nothing but torment them going across.

We are started our hay but it has been very wet weather as yet and Tam says if it does not dry up he will run off the field but I think he will not run away so quick Aunt bids me say that you are to come over and give us a hand to get our hay put up and brought into the stackyard now when you have seen Marion and Aunt says if she does not want you to come away and leave her again you are just to bring her with you and she can help to make hay along with you for Aunt is sure she would be the better of a smell of the Scotch hills. Aunt says when so many Scotchmen has come to see there old native country uncle John might come and see his friends to, she is just working as hard as she can now since the hay began she is just running about as hard as she can.

All our cows is better now and that is a good thing she can keep her mind easy over them. I have to tell you if you was here now you could get better swine curds as you got the last time you was here and she is sure she would give you as many as she could sup;

I am very glad you gto all the things safe and I hope they will please her now when you have got them there you must send me word when you write next and I have to tell you from Aunt that you are to mind and not forget what you said that you would write every month Aunt is sure you cannot think that to often

Bogg, 26 June 1872

James Bryden has left Scotland, and Marion is bereft. This letter, written just after he has sailed for America, has no news of the farm, no mention of her health problems, just negotiations about past and future correspondence between Marion Brown and James Bryden, and anxious words about her "duity" and how she wishes she had left for America with him--and how she still wishes to go soon. She is lonely--she can go hours without seeing another person at the Bogg--and in those hours "you may guess where my thoughts is when I am so much alone."

This letter is on blue stationery that bears a poem and sketch printed on the front side. The title of the poem is "Woman's Love," and the sketch is of a bride (or at least, a young woman in a veil). Here's the verse:

Oh! not when hopes are brightest
Is Love's enchantment known.
Oh! not when hearts are lightest
Is woman's fervour shown;
But when life's clouds o'ertake us,
And earth is clothed in gloom--
When summer friends forsake us--
Then Love is best in bloom.

Love is no wandering vapour
That lures with treacherous spark,
Love is no transient taper
That lives and leaves us dark;
But, like the lamp that lightens
The hut beneath the snow,
The bosom's home it brightens
When all is chill below.

The poem isn't credited, but a quick google finds it's by Scottish poet and abolitionist Thomas Pringle (1789-1834), and frequently appeared in anthologies of sentimental poems, under various titles including "Love" and "The Natural Effects of Love." (Pringle was also disabled from a childhood accident, and used crutches through his life, a detail which Marion may or may not have known.) Some enterprising soul printed Pringle's words onto bridal stationery, and Marion chose that stationery for this letter to her departed friend.

The Bogg
June 26th 1872

Dear Friend

I received your very welcome letter on the 22nd of June. I hope when this reaches you that you will be safe landed and all right. you said in your letter that you expected a letter from me before you left home, and you would have written to me before you left home, if you did not get a letter from me before the one you got with the paper you ought to have got one, for I wrote by return of post to you in answer to the first letter I got from you after you left here. However I hope you will get this one all right.

I was sorry to see by your letter that your Father was so poorly it would be harder on you both to part by Jemmie we are not sure of a day whither we part in health of sickness and what is God's will we must submit to it although we may feel our natures hard to bend when we are first tried.

many a time I have felt how hard my nature is to bend when I feel how often my mind rebels against what I know to be my duity, no doubt but you would think me a very foolish girl that day you left me but my mind has been so much set on America for a long time that willingly I could have gone with you I only wish I had a guide like you to take me over, if ever I am there as I expect to be if spared and well, altho you are on the water when I am writting this I often wish I had been with you.

I have had no company since you left some days I sit for two or three hours and never see a face and I think you may guess where my thoughts is when I am so much alone I am wearing very much to get a letter from Marion but if she has not wrote before you land surely you will tell her how much I weary to hear from her and you must be sure to write as soon as you can if spared to land and let me know how you have got on with the things you took away and how Marion is pleased with them I only wish I had been along with you to [page ends]

Bogg, 14 June 1872

Well now, this is a different letter. Unlike the usual plain paper Marion Brown wrote upon, this letter is on frilly, pink, embossed stationery, with pre-printed poetry and cut edges and all. I'm including an image of the letter's front page in this post, at left--it's definitely special paper for wedding greetings. And it's a letter to James Bryden, the man engaged to marry Marion Glencross in America. He hasn't left yet, but will soon. There was apparently a scene when James last left the Bogg, something to do with Marion wanting very much to go to America with him, but also feeling obligated to remain with Aunt Agnes.

The Bogg
June 14th 1872

My Dear Friend

I was very glad to see your kind letter this morning but was sorry to see by it that you are so bad with the cold but I hope by the time this reaches you that you will be better. You say that your Father is worse since you went home if it had been our Heavenly Father's will to have made him better it would have been easier for you to have left him but dear friend all things is ordered for the best and we have no right to say a word but human nature is hard to bend and some times we feel it hard to say thy will be done when we are tried.

I have no doubt but you would think me a very foolish girl that day you left me but you must just look over it my mind is much set on being in America that I felt so much as if I could go with you and still I find it my duty to stop with my Aunt altho I can do nothing to help her I am the only one she has to say anything to but I hope she will soon give up the cows and then we would soon be all on the road. You may tell Marion if spared to see her that it is not my fault that we did not set out with you I only wish we had a guide like you if ever we go across.

Johnstone has never been here yet and letter from her this last week but perhaps it is because I have been thinking so much about America since you left here. we have not had a call of Johnstone yet there is a great talk about his sister going with him when he goes away but I will not say it is true for it was but a story I heard told, but if she goes she is a very quite woman.

now Jemmie I will stop I could write long enough to you but what is the use of writting a lot of nonsense. I will post the paper along with this letter so you may let me know if you get it take my kind wishes to all my friends in America but you know I have a warmer spot in my heart for some as I have for other and you will understand who they are. I am still in the hope that we will all meet in America yet if all goes well except my kindest regards to your own dear self from your affectionate friend Marion Brown

Bogg, 31 May 1872

James is about to visit the Bogg, perhaps for the last time before he leaves for America. Marion has sent him blankets to carry over, and mentions that Tom Scott is injured from a horse. But mainly she's asserting their warm past together--their meeting rituals, her expectations of his visit, private jokes between them, and jokes about swine curds and Aunt's singing. (What are red mouths? From context, I'm guessing young birds?)

The Bogg
May 31st 1872

My Dear Friend

I received your very welcome letter today and was glad to see by it that you was well when you wrote. I saw by your letter that you are going to Glasgow on Monday if well so I have just taken it into my head to write to you so that you may get it before you go away and I hope you will be here on Thursday night and I will be on the outlook for you but I fear I will not be able to meet you at Sanquhar so you will just come up the road yourself and if I see you coming I will try and meet you at the end of the house as I did before but there is one thing I will not let you pass me without speaking as I did the first time I saw you.

I have to tell you from Aunt that she will not promise to sing to you but if spared and well she will have a bowelful of curds ready for you and will be very glad to see you to spend a day or two with us. You speak about me telling the red mouths when you are coming but you need not fear for that for I can soon give them an answer when they ask for you.

I am glad you have got the blankets all right and I hope they please you, but you will tell me when you come. they are busy putting in our turnips just now but I think they will be all done on Monday or Tuesday. Tom has met with a slight accident today a horse ran away with him and he has got one of his legs hurt but I hope it will soon be better. Uncle William is away to his new place and Katty went up with him and she thinks he will be very well put up if once he had got time to put things all right now I will stop for this time and we will can go over all things when we meet if spared and well so I will say goodnight and except of my kind love to you from your affectionate friend Marion Brown

P. S. now mind I will be on the outlook for you on Thursday night M. B.

Dunmore Historical Society

I just noticed that there's a Dunmore Historical Society blog up and running since December. Since most of the Sanquhar letters were sent to Dunmore and all of them survived a century or more there, I'm linking to the Dunmore Historical Society blog in the sidebar--give them a visit!

Bogg, 23 May 1872

An incomplete letter to James Bryden, a man from Maybole, Ayrshire, who is engaged to marry Marion Glencross. He hasn't left for America yet, but he's been visiting his future wife's family at the Bogg, dancing and eating Aunt Agnes's famous swine curds. Marion Brown clearly has a close friendship with James Bryden--close enough to make fun of a relative's portrait, close enough to say "I have wearied for your company since you went away." James will carry various gifts to America, including "trimings" and blankets.

The Bogg
May 23rd 1872

Dear Friend

I received your very welcome letter today and was glad to see from it that you got safe home and there is one thing I can tell you I have wearied for your company since you went away but I have to tell you from Aunt that she will be glad to see you back to get some more swine curds she is making a big tubful every day now and she bids me say that she hopes you will be as supple and nimble to dance as you was the last night you was here.

I had a letter from America yesterday it was from uncle Joseph they were all well when it left and I got Aunt Marion's card and James I will just tell you what I think she has been like when it was taken I told Aunt that she was just like as if she had been scolding uncle Joseph she is so staring like you will tell me your opinion if spared and will to come back and I hope it will not be long till we see you again. I sent away a letter to your own Marion on Monday and sent her a pattern of the trimings you have got for her and told her to write as soon as she got my letter and let us know if she was pleased with them. And I sent a pattern of the dress you gave Aunt & me. Aunt Marion had a long story in her letter about what you are going to take to Marion if spared to go back I hope Marion will not let her see the letter I sent away to her on Monday or she will know the most of the things you have bought before you go back with them. you must tell her the next letter you write to keep all her letters to herself and not let Aunt Marion see all she gets.

I sent down to Sanquhar today and told Mrs. Macqueen about your blankets and she sent back word that she would send them away from Sanquhar with the mid day train on Saturday so you may be on the outlook for them at Kilkerran Station I think you will get this letter

Bogg, 10 January 1872

A short, damaged two-sided letter this time. Marion sends holiday wishes and reports on her own father's health (poor), a visit from Davie Williamson, apparently a local man who has emigrated and returned on a visit, and in the PS a note about the health of Uncle John's son John Glencross in Carmacoup.

The Bogg
January 10th, 1872

Dear Cousin

I wish you & your Father both a happy new year and I hope it will find you both well [I am?] glad to be able to tell you that this leaves us all in a moderate state of health for which we ought to be very thankful, uncle William and his family are all well you may tell your father [that?] my father is a little better [he?] had what is called watery [paper torn] in his arm and got [paper torn] now when the pain is away he is so weak he cannot walk across the floor. We had a call from Davie Williamson last week and had a long talk about our friends in America he will soon be going away I wish I had been going with him I dont know how it is but I have always the [paper torn] to be in America. There is not[hing?] new going on here just now the cows are all doing very well [paper torn] I will be writting to you before [long?] if well and I will can tell you how heavy the swine was we are going to kill next week. Davie Williamson is going to take a cousin of his with him to America her name is Isabella Johnstone [paper torn] am going a new years card to Uncle Joseph's little Agnes and one to little James and one to yourself give all that asks for me my kind love not forgetting your father and your own dear [self?]

I remain your loving cousin Marion Brown

PS Cousin John Glencross at Carmacoup was no better the [last?] word I got. M. B. Aunt Marion will know who these two cards are from