Townfoot, 5 September 1881

It's been almost a year since the last surviving letter.  This letter is perhaps one of the most straightforward portraits of Marion's life as a disabled single woman:  she expresses religious resignation, she is dependent on her cousin and must face his wife's spite in silence, she sees a city doctor who offers her a medication, but she's worried it won't be easy to continue, because cousin Tam's employment is (as usual) minimal.  "My heart was sore when I felt my own helplessness" she confides, to her only possible audience for such private thoughts:  James Bryden and his family, far away in Pennsylvania. 

Townfoot

Sanquhar
5th Septr 1881

My Dear Friends

We are always very glad to see a letter from you, and I hope this will find you all still in the enjoyment of good health which is the best earthly blessing we can have.  It is all the same what we have if we have not health to enjoy it. I have had experience both ways now and sometimes I feel it very hard to be as I am but then again if it is Gods will that I should be as I am I hope I may have grace given me to make me content with my lot, its not the same with us now as when we were at the Bogg and Aunt poor body feels it as much as any one, and more so. 

now James if you was in my place how would you like if anyone was to say to you that you ought to be in the poorhouse one day when Tam's wife said that to me it made me I could never give her an answer but remember neither Tam nor Aunt heard her say it to me nor I sould not tell them for it would do nothing but vex them both and Tam would give the last halfpenny he had for either of us and they have both enough to think of without me telling them any thing she says to me when she gets their backs turned I don't want you to say a word about what I have told you but my heart was sore when I felt my own helplessness and what a burden some of my friends think I am if Aunt had it in her power it would have been different she would not have listened to so many tants[taunts?]. 

There was a doctor here from Edinburgh and our own Dr. brought him to see me several times and he did not give me much encouragement he told me I should have got my back burned with a red hot iron when I turned first ill and it might have been better for me now and he said in all his experience he never saw any one like me before and my case was a very interesting one he gave me some thing to take and I have to give it a fair trial and it may do me some good and my own Dr. will let him know how I am getting on he also told me that I have two distinct complaints and the one is just going against the other so here I have to lie and wait till I see what God in his goodness has in store for me but sometimes it is not so easy to get all a Doctor prescribes. 

Tam is still working with Slimmons horses but he is not very strong at times, things are very dull here the duke seems to have nothing to do for no body the one half of his men are paid off uncle William is still kept on yet and we are very glad for his is so much failed he would not be very able to go about seeking work.

Aunt has her kind regards to you and bids me say you are not to be long in writing she wearies more now as ever she did to hear from you and bids me say she is glad you are all well and the two boys thriving well some times she thinks she would like to see them but it is not likely she ever will now

I must stop for I am tired with kind love to you all every one and all friends in which Aunt joins I am your affectionate cousin Marion Brown

be sure and write soon

Tower Cottages, 2 July 1877

This letter is somewhat damaged (in its current existence it's in four pieces), but full of news. Aunt's been unwell, Marion's lost her voice, Tam's okay, weather is hot; there's a crop report, a wages report, and the terrible news that Marion's sister Sarah in London is sick in a hospital with smallpox, leaving two little children in danger of losing their mother. Marion Brown is moved to an extended paragraph on religious resignation to God's will by this news.

What she is not moved to mention: this letter was written on Marion Brown's 33rd birthday.

Tower Cottages
July 2nd 1877

My Dear Friends

We are always very glad to see a letter from any of you and I hope this will find you all in the enjoyment of good health which is the best earthly blessing we can have I am sorry to [have to?] tell you that Aunt has been very poorly it was like bilious fever she had and she was very sick for a week but is now on the way of improveing if she could take more food I think she would soon get stronger but she can take almost nothing However we must hope for the best and look to our Father in heaven for the blessing on the means that is used.

the weather is come in very warm and it is very trying at least I feel it very much my voice is entirely [failing?] me again you could scarce know a word I say. Tam is keeping wonderful well this some time which is a good thing when both aunt & me has been complaining. I was sorry to see from your letter that uncle Joseph had been so long bad but I hope he is still keeping better & all the rest well,

you want to know what kind of crops we have here abouts well as far as I have seen corn hay potatoes and turnips is all looking very well at the season. [unreadable section lost in a torn fold] country is dull as well as with you at Thornhill hay and harvest fair the masters tried hard to bring down the wages but in general the servants got about last years wages I have very little new to tell you this time I had such bad news from London [unreadable section] my sister Sarah is very bad with smallpox they are not qute sure how it will stand with her yet her husband tried hard to get keeping her at home I mean in their own house [unreadable section] knew it was small pox he made her be taken away to the hospital, we must just wait with patience and hope for the best. she had two little boys and if she is taken from them they will miss a mothers care which is a great want, but God knows best what way is the best and what he sees fit to do we have no right to say a word but human nature is hard to bend and we feel the afflicting rod hard to bear but we have great promises to cheer us in affliciton as well as in health for whom God loveth he chasteneth and he is the friend that sticketh closer than a brother

now I must draw to a close uncle William and his family is all well at present and all friends here as far as I know and hopping to hear from you soon and with kind love to you all every one in which Aunt and Tam joins I remain your affectionate cousin

Marion Brown

PS tell uncle John that we have a great time here with hens instead of singing birds M. B.

Tower Cottages, 14 June 1875

Here we learn about Marion's turn of health--she cannot speak and is "dull" company for her Aunt; she had had twelve teeth removed to date, and is receiving "galvanic shooks" (galvanism, or electrotherapy, was a popular treatment for many conditions in Marion Brown's day). She also continues her vaguely suggestive/flirtatious tone with James Bryden, hoping that he might come and cheer her up, and wishing "I was beside you to get a ride on your fine horse."

Tower Cottages
June 14th 1875

My Dear Friend

I have no doubt you will be thinking me as long in writting to you as ever but I have put of from day to day for a week thinking I would could say that I was better but it will not do yet for I can speak none at all now I have to write everything I want to say I am getting galvanic shooks every day the Doctor say they are they only thing that will do me good so I must just wait with patience and see what turns up for me. I hope this will find you and all friends well when it reaches you I am glad to be able to say that Tam has had pretty good health this some time and Aunt is wonderful but has never been so strong since she had a bad cold about the new year she bids me tell you that if you was to come in some day before she knew you would give her a surprise but she would be very happy to see you and she thinks I would be so much the better of you to cheer me up as she would for since I could not speak she thinks me very dull. I was sorry to see from your letter that you had been so bad with toothach it is a very annoying disease and some has very little pity for it but I am sorry to see any one bad with it for I have had my share of it I have got twelve taken out, I could like very well if I was beside you to get a ride on your fine horse many a canter I have had on Miss Kennedys pony when I was at the Bogg. give my kind regards to Marion and tell her I am wearing for her letter and she is to be sure and send me Sarah Johnstone's address for her Grandmother is wearing for it. The gardens will be in full bloom now I hope you will have a good crop of everything the crops here is looking very well as yet. now I can think of nothing else worth writting at this time with kind love to you and all friends in which Aunt and Tam joins I remain your affectionate Friend
Marion Brown
Be sure and write soon

Bogg, 6 October 1873

More bad news: Cousin Tam Scott, the only man in the household, recently released from Dumfries jail, is now quite ill with lung and heart troubles (sounds like tuberculosis). He "spits a great deal of blood" and cannot work. There are lasting hard feelings related to his "tousel" of a Wilson girl, too, because his uncle Joseph is married to a Wilson. Marion, meanwhile, is experiencing speech impairment again, and taking "galvanic shooks" for them. (Soon after Marion describes her recent bout of speechlessness, she says of the family controversy with the Wilsons, "there is no use saying a word." S0 Marion Brown finds herself both literally and figuratively unable to speak effectively.)

But in America, the Glencrosses have a new house (probably an addition to the core building on Helen Street); Aunt imagines having a "crack" with emigrated friends over "auld lang syne affairs," and Marion dreams of dancing on the Glencross's new floors.

The Bogg
October 6th 1873

My Dear Cousin

I was very glad to see your letter for I always weary to hear from you and I hope this will find you and your father and all the rest of our friends well when it reaches you. I am sorry to have to tell you that Cousin Tom has not been well for the last six weeks and is not much better yet the Doctor says that his heart is bad and his left lung is infected and he spits a great deal of blood at times he takes very little meat and the doctor says he is to take every thing that is supporting and take care and not get himself wet and he has not to work any but the worst of it is he is not able to work any however I hope he may soon get a little better for Aunt thinks so much over him and no wonder for I may say he is her all.

We have got all our hay in but we have a great want this year they have been at the hill gathering bent every day that was dry but it has been very wet weather the whole summer through our potatoe crop is wonderful good but we have very few turnips. so I doubt the cows will not fare so well. Aunt has a good lot of swine this year there is seven that she is fattening and ten little pigs to sell.

now I think I have given you a pretty fair account of all the things about the bogg. You will have had a busy summer getting your hew house set in order but now when it is finished you will have plenty of room and I could like very well to be over to the house heating and I can tell you I would dance a good gig to help to dry the flower. I was five weeks that I could not speak but the doctor gave me Galvanic shooks that has done me good and I hope I may keep well now for I was feared when it came on this time for the last time I was bad I could not speak none for twenty three months however I ought to be very thankful that I am a little better.

I dont know what Rob Wilson would mean to send word to Marion to come home again but she is never content where ever she is and uncle Joseph will be the more of a fool if ever he comes home with her for he was just kept in misery with her here and I suppose it will be much the same with her in America. However quiteness is best and there is no use saying a word.

Aunt sends her kind love to your Father and your self and wishes you both good health to enjoy your new house and the first time you see Mrs. Law you are to give her Aunts kind compliments and say she would like very much to have a crack with her over auld lang syne affairs now I hope you will not be long in writting after you get this letter and let us know how you are all getting on and with kind to you and your Father I remain your loving Cousin
Marion Brown

PS. give James Bryden and all other friends my kind love M. B.

Bogg, 21 August 1873

This letter is to James Bryden, still not quite married to Marion Glencross. More on the aftermath of Tam Scott's jail time--"a queer time about the Bogg." Tam is still not well, and "I think Aunt will never get over it." Marion cites the "ado" as her reason for not writing in a while. Are there many letters telling the family's story of a jailing? If not, this correspondence is rare in another dimension!

The reference to James Bryden having his back "painted" must be about a medical treatment--painted with a topical medication, I assume. Any idea what the phrase "he never liked the dodders" means? I've looked in a few dialect dictionaries, and dodders has several given meanings, but none of them really fits this context.

The Bogg
August 21st 1873

My Dear Friend

You will be thinking me long in writting but you will likely have heard the great ado that has been about Tom and if you have you will think I was not in very good trim for writting for I can tell you it was a queer time about the Bogg when Tom was away at the Jail but Tom was like you he never liked the dodders and I am sure he will think less of them now as ever he did and no wonder for it was such an ado to make about nothing I think Aunt will never get over it and for Tom he cannot think to see a person. you may tell Marion from me that John Hunter was not such a great man about the bogg as he talks about but it is best just to hear them and never speek

My Dear Friend I must say that I am very much obliged to you for your kind offer and I have no doubht but I will execpt of it if spared and well till the spring but it is getting to far in the season now for me to set out but I will change my mind greatly or some thing come in my way that I dont know of if I don't come out in the spring but you need not say anything about it to make a great talk so long before the time and if you and Marion waits till then I may have a dance at your wedding and tell Marion that she is to write me a long letter and tell me all about her new house Aunt sends her kind love to you and wishes you had been here to cheer her up since Tom was away Anthony sends his kind love to you but he has not been well but is on the way of recovering I hope your back is got quite better now I know what your back would be like when they were painting it we are busy with the hay but it has been very bad weather for it and Tom is wearing to get it past now I must come to a close hopping this will find you well and all the rest of our friends well and be sure and write soon and execpt of kind love to you and all friends from your loving friend Marion Brown
Ps be sure and write soon

Bogg, 6 April 1870

A newsy eight-page letter from Marion to her American uncle. The news is of Marion's health (poor--her head has been shaved and she's had blisters applied to treat "an attack of inflam[m]ation of the brain"), crops, work, emigration, and family connections. This letter was written just a few days after the letter to James Bryden (previous post), but there's no mention of Bryden here. Marion's sense of her health as a chastisement from God is described more explicitly here than usually. Two local men will be emigrating to the Scranton area soon, John Moffat and Robert Watson, to carry more handmade clothing for John and Marion Glencross.

Marion talks a bit more about her own family here--her father is "lame" now, her half-brother is working, her brother James has a little son with (what sounds like) a permanently dislocated left shoulder. The men in the family are working at draining, much as John apparently did before he left Scotland.

My Dear uncle

After a long silence I take up my pen to write you a few lines to let you know how things are moving on about the Bogg. I am very glad to be able to tell you that Aunt and Tom are in moderate good health and has been all winter for which we cannot be to thankful. and for my self I am very glad to be able to tell you that I am recovering from an attack of inflamation of the brain I was quite insenseible for ten days I got my head shaved and has had on six blisters and they have done me a great deal of good and now altho I feel very weak I am greatly better and can sit up for about two hours which is a great releif.

dear uncle sometimes I think I have been sorely tried in my journey in this sinful world but no doubt but our heavenly Father has seen I have need of chastisment or he would not have afflicted me so long. He knows what is best for us in whatever way we may be placed.

I hope you and Marion are both well. and as the spring is come round again you will be busy getting your garden planted we are not begun to our garden yet it has been very hard dry barren weather here this some time every thing looks ready for rain. our cows are begun to calve and we have got all the queys calves we need the Master wants seven and it is very lucky we have got the queys first the hay is going to be very scarce this year which is a bad thing when the weather is so backward but we are to get a load or two more meal and that will help so far for the want of the hay

Aunt has her kind love to you both and I am to say that she thinks you will think she is turning daft in her old days if you are spared and well to see the trousers and waistcoat she has sent with John Moffat to you there is far more orang in them as she expected and you are to send word soon what you think of them and there is some other person going away from Wanlockhead about the middle of May and perhaps she will have some thing else ready to go with him. his name is Robert Watson he has an uncle some where not far from you one James Watson and you must let me know what you think of your socks and how Marions stockings fit her if all goes right so that you get your parcle. I knitted both the pairs lying in bed it is good amusement for me when I can do nothing else since my head was so bad I have not been good at ???ing but my sight will improve as I get stronger.

uncle Joseph and uncle William are away to Greenock to work again there is nothing going on here at all uncle Joseph has got another addition to his family he has four sons and a daughter now and his young son is named James for uncle James both families are all well at present. I have found Helens Mother at last I got a letter from her the other day and she is well and very comfortable she is housekeeper to a lady and just goes about with her it seems they are not long in one place but now when I have found her out I will can send her the money to the address she has sent me and she would like very well if you would send your likeness and Marions both on one card and you are to send the card to me as I cannot tell you how long she may be at the same place and I will send it to her.

I have not had a letter from cousin John Glencross this some time but he is stoping a little at the shoulders when he is walking the last time he was here he had very busy whiskers and I was for cutting them but he told me they would keep his neck warm when the cold weather set in. You must send him one of your cards when you get them taken--

we have had a very dry summer here the water was very scarce for a long time we had it all to cary from Lochburn and it was very bad. we have got all our hay in and the stacks thached but we have not so much hay as we had last year but it is very good what we have for it scarcly ever got a shower either growing or after it was cut. the cows has not been so good either it was so dry and warm that they could not settle to eat and they grass was not very plenty either our turnip crop is very good and the potatoes are thick in the ground but very soft and watery the corn is nearly all in so I think the busy time will soon be past for another season.

the swine is doing very well as far as is past yet and Tom is going on with his hens as brisk as ever I ont tknow how many kinds he has just now--I cannot tell you very well what uncle Joseph and uncle William is going to do now they have been talking about going away to Greenock to drain for there is no work in this place of the country. but I am not sure when they will go away.

my brother James was down from the Tower seeing us last night but I think he is not agreeing very well with the cheesemaking I told him he had as little colour in his face as I have and that is not much now and he is very thin to. but he is hired for another year so if he keeps his health he will be cheesemaker another summer yet he has a son named for my father and he is very like James and is getting a very stiring boy but he has got his left arm of joint at the shoulder and he cannot use it at all and the bonesetter cannot put it in it might have been some thing worse but it is a pity to see as little a boy as he is to have no power in his left arm. my father is very lame now he can scarce walk a step and has not very good health at times either but can go about to I have a half brother that drives coals to Wanlockhead he is not very big but stands the storms going up Mennock wonderful well--

this new Mistress is making some turn ups at Brandleys this term all the servants in the house is going to leave at Martinmas and the cook has been there for eight years she is Grace Hunter a daughter of James Hunter that was living at Meadowbank when he went away many a time she tells me about my uncle John draining at Auchentaggart and a little dog with you.

give Marion my kind regards and say I wish she was over here to keep me in company when I am sitting all alone in the room and I have to tell you from Aunt that you have to write soon and let us know if you get your things all right and between Marion and you I am sure you need not be long in writting give my regards to David Williamson and say I was dreaming about him being here the other night give my kind regards to all enquiring friends and except of the same to you both from your affectionate neice Marion Brown

Bogg, 15 April 1868

A change of address, here--this letter begins "My Dear Cousin," so Marion Brown (age 24) has begun to write directly to Marion Glencross (now 15 years old). She adds a couple pages for uncle John Glencross too. In this letter, we get more of Marion Brown's medical treatment for headaches and impaired speech--"fly blisters" (painful blisters raised on the skin by applying the irritating extract of certain insects), and "a cord" in the back of her neck....?

Marion's brother James Brown has married Agnes Kerr, age 19, a resident of the Bogg. There's also commentary on how hard Aunt Agnes works, and how quickly Marion Glencross might lose her "Yankee talk" if she visited Scotland.

My Dear Cousin

I received your Kind letter in due time and was very glad to see by it that you and my uncle was both well for what a blessing it is to have good health and when we have not health we may say we have nothing for we can enjoy nothing and nothing is a pleasure to us in this world. I was so proud over your letter for since I could not speak when I get a letter it is just like talking to yourself it is a great mis the want of my voice but what a blessing it is I have always my reason but our heavenly Father is always kind to us and gives us poor sinful creatures far more than we deserve I can not but say that I have had a sore winter and is not much better yet for I have such a queer stupid head I can tell nobody what it is like the Doctor says it is the nerves that goes from the spine of my back to my Brain that causes my head to be so bad. I have had on a good many fly blisters on the back of my neck and I always get some relief with them the Dr. is going to put a cord in the back of my neck now he thinks it will do more good as the blisters but perhaps the good weather will do me good now for the weather has a great effect on people that is not very strong and it has been a very changeable spring here

now I must begin to give you the news and what is going on about the Bogg. first of all how queer it was that I got your letter that day that my Brother James was going to be married. he was married on the third of April to Agnes Agnes [sic] Kerr. Your Father would know her she came to William Halberts to be nursed and she always stayed with them and now she is married she is just ninteen but she has always been a very solid young woman for she has been at the Bogg with us for six years she came first to herd the cows and just stoped on till she got hired for the long term as the saying goes. so you see there is nothing but changes. we don't know who will be our summer man yet for James goes about as dumb as a stick and has never said a word whither he will stop with us or not but Mr. Kennedy takes a good intrest in Aunt for he says there will never a wife come to live here as long as Aunt can do it all.

Dear Marion you told me all about your stock of hens I think we will just have about the same number as you and a good many of them is laying and we have two breeding swine and some shots and we have eight cows calved and I think we will have plenty of hay this year. we have two pets and one of them has a lamb James is busy getting the garding selved this weekend we got our corn sowen last week so you see the work is fairly begun for another year and they are going to be plainting potatoes at Brandleys this week they are a good deal sooner with them this year. now I think I have told you the most of the things that is going on just now.---

Dear Marion you think you would not enjoy a visit to Scotland much because you don't know much about the language but I think you would soon give over the Yankee talk if you was here now although you have only wrote one letter to me I hope when you are begun you will continue on and not be very long in writting again and I will close to you at this time hopping this will find you in good health I will say goodbye with kind love from your affectionate cousin Marion Brown

Dear uncle

As the saying goes long looke for comes at last and we were all wearing very much to get a letter from you but Marion is a good writter now and she must just write in your stead for your hand will not be very steady for writting sometimes. I am to give you Aunts compliments and say that she was wearing so much to hear from you that she dreamed every night for a week about you before we got your letter and I have to tell you that she has made out with the cows and had a little over to begin with again. Dear uncle Aunt has a great deal of work to go through to keep all things right and is not very strong at times but she is wonderful to but if it was not her spirit that keeps her up I don't know how she would do at all. Uncle Joseph has been working at Brandleys all winter and is there yet and all his family is well. And uncle William is draining Mains just now and his wife and family is all well. All friends and acquaintances is well here as far as I know just now, and I will write to you as soon as I know who is to be our summers man for James is not like Me for he takes a long time before he can speak his mind but I just say what I think and has done with it so now I must stop for it is nearly past time and with kind love from us all I remain your affectionate niece Marion Brown

pleas write soon