Tower Cottages, 24 January 1876

Long time since the last surviving letter, but in the interim, James Bryden and Marion Glencross have married (almost four years after he emigrated, apparently for that purpose). Marion jokes "long looked for come at last,"* and suggests that if they have twins, she'll come over to help--but she has obviously not attended their wedding, as hoped in previous letters. Nonetheless, she has an opinion about the bride's dress, as it was described to her. Marion Brown has been ill with infected ears and throat in the winter; Tam Scott has also been quite ill and unable to work, and Aunt is "failing." There's some dispute about whether Marion Brown was writing letters back in the recent months--James and Marion Bryden didn't receive them, and indeed they are not in the surviving set. But she says she wrote.

*Here's another 19c. letter between women that uses the same phrase. It also turns up in song lyrics, which makes sense for the sentiment. There's even a "Long Looked For, Come At Last" Vineyard, in Maryland.

Tower Cottages
January 26th 1876

Dear Cousin,

I received your very welcome letter last week and was glad to see from it that you and all other friends was well when you wrote and I hope this will still find you all enjoying the same precious blessing for which we cannot be to thankful for. I am very glad to be able to tell you that we are all better than we have been for some time back Tam has been very poorly he has had inflmation and a bad cold and he has not been able to do much since Martinmas I have had a sore throat and bealing ears and Aunt is the only one that kept pretty strong among us but poor body she is failing altho she has still the spirit. However I hope we will all keep better now when we have got the turn we are looking forward to better weather and surely that will recruit us.

I will claim the old saying over your marriage long looked for come at last so I wish you long life and much happiness and a big family and if you should have twins the first time as Mrs. Johnston had I will come over and help you nurse them. Well Marion I think your dresses would look very well and it is very fashionable to have a dress made in two shades now so I think the two browns would look very well and James I have a word for you to you have no excuse for not writting because you are married you must write oftener and surely when there is two of you as one we will get a letter oftener. you say you have wrote me two letters and got no answer but I have never got any but I have sent away an answer to them whither you got it or not.

Aunt sends her kind regards to you both and wishes much happiness in your married life and long spared to each other, and also to all other friends and she was wondering what was come over uncle John when you wrote last for you never mentioned his name and you are to give Tom Glencross Aunt's kind regards and say she would like to see him now and he is to write a letter himself now I think I have little more worth writting at this time so I will say goodbye with kind love to you all every one from your affectionate cousin, Marion Brown

Bogg, 31 October 1872

The last letter surviving from 1872, a fall report delayed until news of the next year's rent was known. Aunt's cheese production has suffered from sick cows, and the landlord says he won't raise their rent this year in light of that--but the threat of future rent increases remains.

The weather is wet and an uncle's hay isn't up. And a neighbor has died suddenly. "Mr. Hyslop Cleneries" probably means "Mr. Hyslop who lives at Clenries," a nearby house. There was a John Hyslop living at Clenries who won an award from the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland in 1872, for a "cheviot tup" (a kind of breeding ram)--maybe it was him? "Ten hours illness" seems to be a phrase that often refers to cholera, and there were cholera epidemics about this time (1873 in the US, 1872 in India).

This letter includes a rare reference to Marion's own siblings (her sister Sarah is marrying in London soon). And a not-so-rare reference to Marion's dreams of seeing James Bryden back in Sanquhar, offering to take Marion away to America.

The Bogg
October 31st 1872

My Dear Cousin

You will be thinking I am not a woman to my word at all when I am so long in writing after sending you word that I would write last week. I would have written but Aunt would not let me till once we got our first lot of cheese away and then I could send you word whither Mr. Kennedy was going to make the rent more this year or not so he was here yesterday and he said seeing as the cows had the disease last spring he would not ask any more rent for another year. we got 115 cheese away last week but they were not near so heavy as they were last year. There is a want of thirty stone and that is a good deal. Aunt thinks she will can make up a few stones yet but we had no turnips and the cows are greatly failed. Uncle William has had a very bad time the weather has been so wet that he could not get his hay up and I don't know if it is all up yet and it is past the time of the year for hay wining[?]

I am going on and writting and never asking how you are. I hope you and all friends beside you are well how is your Jeamie getting on I was dreaming about him the other night I thought he was come to take me away to America but when I wakened it was but a dream but I must say I was quite disapointed when I wakened and did not see him many a time we talk over the fun we had when he was here and you can tell him that I could dance a polka with him now I have to tell you from Cousin John Glencross that he is wearing very much for the card you said you would send him he is not getting very strong yet but is better as he has been.

We had a very sudden death beside us last week you can tell uncle Joseph he knows who it is. his name is Mr. Hyslop Cleneries he died in the ten hours illness this is his funeral day. I have some thing more to tell you my sister Sarah is going to be married in about a fortnight after this but she will be married in London so I will not be at her marriage her intended husband is a Jewler I have never seen him so I dont know what he will be like.

Aunt sends her kind love to you and you are to be sure and write and let us know how you are all getting on there was a spree at Brandleys last night and I suppose it was a very merry night there was above forty at it and Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy danced till the last I had a busy day getting them all dressed for it but I was not there I waited at home and was housekeeper. now I must come to a close and give uncle Joseph and aunt Marion my kind love remember me kindly to John Johnstone and Sarah and also your father and Jeamie Bryden not forgetting your own dear self from your affectionate friend Marion Brown

PS be sure and write soon M. B

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