Bagillt
September 23, 1856
Dear John,
I once more take the pleasure of sending a few lines to you
after along delay in answering your letter, being anxiously waiting to hear
from your brother Edwin every week one after the other, by you saying in your
letter that we might of heard from him before we might receive yours;
howsomever he has had the kindness to keep us without hearing from him as yet,
and we cannot think how he can be for shame as he is with his father and mother. Haven’t heard nothing from him now going on
eleven months. I cannot think how he can
be easy in his mind one day of the week, no, nor one hour of the day
either. And another thing we know very
well that we are not deserving of such unkindness of him, for I think and know
very well that we have been both a very good father & mother to him, and
also to you all. And another thing we
was thinking of, John, was that we might of trusted in you to put him in a
better way of doing than forgetting his father and mother entirely. And as I have told you that we could not be
easy without sending to you as I have not sent to you in my former letters that
I have sent seven or eight letters before this.
Therefore we cannot think how he can take it so easy and to think
something about our circumstances in our old age and especially according to
the promise before he went away, but howsomever we can easily see that it has
come to the old point, as your mother told you all how it would be after you
had gone, that is your mother as you are well aware of it that she told you the
same thing before you went, that is, out of sight out of mind. Therefore we have through God’s will have
lived to see the old saying come up as I am very sorry that I have to relate to
you, but we shall not be here long for to relate anything much more, the Lord
knows how long, for we are losing our old neighbors very fast now. There is old Mrs. Rowland of Gadlys Lane has
gone and left us about a three weeks back. And Thomas Rowlands left us in about
ten days after and died just in the same hour of the day as many of our
neighbors has gone at the same age. Therefore
we shant be very long for we are getting on fast towards being the oldest
marriage in the neighborhood, and after all I can tell you that your brother
Edwin has behaved very unkind towards us; that is as he sent in his last letter
how he would send money against the beginning
of the new year for to pay our rent, and we telling Mr. Faulks all this
then, and now he is gone that he will not believe us whatsoever we say to him,
but keeps saying that he will not wait no more with us. But he was here the other day and he has
told your mother that if you was to send us the twelve month’s rent that he
would wait a little again when this twelve month would come up, that is next
Christmas, and he has told us that he would be very sorry to turn us away after
being in it for so many years.
And another thing we have gone to the expense now to get the
spirit license into the house and to commence to sell on the tenth of October
next for we think it will turn out better, for there is a power of respectable
people in unnoticing the sign for to ask for spirits, and now we can give up
the other part of the house and then our rent will not be so high, but we have
not got that settled as yet, and by all this we could so happen a good deal
better, and if you could be so kind as to assist us with that twelve month as
ended last Christmas we would strive and do our best after and happen would
have not to trouble you again, and have the kindness to send an answer with the
return mail if possible, and am in hopes that these few lines will find you all
enjoying the best of health as these leaves us pretty well at present thanks be
to the Lord for that, only that I am very lame .
Therefore all your brothers and sisters sends their kind respects
to you and expect the same from you dutyful father and mother,
Robert & Sarah Benjamin
PS – Your mother sends a few lines to Elizabeth and that she
is very thankful to her for her kindness that is for sending those few lines to
her as she did about herself and the children, but as you may well know that I
should be very glad to see them and you all, but I cannot credit it that I never
shall, it is the Lord as does know, but should be very happy to see you all
before going out of this old world.
Therefore you will greatly obliged by sending as soon as possible.
PS – You did not send your brother Edwin’s address in your
last.
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