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!