Letter from Charlotte Cushman to Helen Hunt, Aug 16, 1874
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Charlotte Cushman to Helen Hunt, Aug 16, 1874
Subject
Cushman, Charlotte Saunders, 1816-1876
Stebbins, Emma, 1815-1882
Jackson, Helen Hunt
Death
Social Events--Misc.
Social Events--Travels
Description
Charlotte Cushman discusses further engagements and tells Hunt about her "friend Miss Stebbins" who accompanies her. Emma Stebbins's mother died.
Transcripts courtesy of Nancy Knipe, Colorado College.
Transcripts courtesy of Nancy Knipe, Colorado College.
Creator
Cushman, Charlotte Saunders, 1816-1876
Date
1874-08-16
Type
Reference
Letter Item Type Metadata
Text
Dear friend
Yours of 6 “+++”; to hand yesterday forwarded here, when we arrived on the even of the 13th, intending a stay until the 2 Sep’ when I go to New York for a months sojourn before commencing my work. I see recd your former letter warning me not to attempt to cross the Sierras in Early December, or returning in early Jany, which is my purpose. You do not know, perhaps that in my profession, we must make our Engagt- [engagement abbreviated?], individually, as it suits a managers interest for his whole season. An Engagt was offered me, commencing 14” Dec. for five weeks, this was the only [underlined] time I could have in California. I made as I thought proper enquiries as to the chances of my being caught at that season in the snow, & finding that it is usually free at that time I concluded my Engagt & now it is irrevocable—if [underlined] I am in health to act anywhere. So you must [help?] me by lifting off my fears which you have excited, & not giving them to my friend Miss Stebbins who accompanies me there and by obtaining for me, any statistics as to the dates, at different years that these perils & sufferings have come. Will you do this, & when you communicate it to me, let it be when you & I are alone, for I presume by your letter that you are purposing to come East not withstanding your first determination to remain there [underlined] over the winter. About the dress, dear, that your last letter wails of. I can perhaps help you when you come, bring it with you (the silk one). Miss Chapman & her dress maker have made an awful mistake, & we must rectify it together. Miss Chapman took out all Miss Stebbins measures for a costume walking dress of black silk [last six words underlined]. After the death of her mother she wrote to Miss Chapman that it must be trimmed with crape [underlined]. This order was to be carried out, if Miss C. should go to Paris [last seven words underlined]. It happens that she does not got to Paris & she loses all Miss Stebbins measures yet she resolves to carry out the order for the black silk dress, & bring home a flourishing skirt made in London with flounces &c &c, trimmed with crape, & not daring to have the body made, brings a piece of silk for that purpose, & the trimmings for the body made & basted upon a white muslin waist, just to show where the trimmings were to be placed. When the basket arrived (into which she had put everything which my brother had sent out.) in the tray of said box, Miss Chapman puts your two dresses all made, & this skirt & muslin waist which she wrote me was for Miss S. of course in opening the tray, I took out what she said belonged to Miss S. & sent the rest to Cosprings, but it is very possible that the trimmings of this muslin body which is, we now find upon Examination is plaited may be your trimming & the “Basque of 36 inches in the waist may be for Miss Stebbins, who measures 25 inches in the waist. When the skirt of this dress was taken out, Miss Stebbins was so heartsick, at the stupidity which had brought her a full dress evening dress instead of a walking dress, that she put it away in disgust & has not examined it further. There you see the mistake may have occurred & when you come to N York, you shall enquire for us at 128 E. 16th St., & you shall be helped out of your dilemma, if I [underlined] can help you, or, if you are not coming East, & will let me know where to send it, I will forward to you this muslin body, or the skirt as it seems best to you & we will get the other skirt on basque from you when we arrive St. Louis in late November. I am in many respects much better from my water treatment, & my constant change of air this summer. I had three weeks in Newport in June, three weeks in Hyde Park in July—from the 17’ July to the 12th of August in Newport. Exquisitely cool weather & dry nearly all the time. When the hot days began (8th of august), I packed my trunks & came away here where it is more gorgeous than words can describe! Miss Stebbins is in great joy over her possession of this long little “[Lothie?],” wh. I have been able to bestow upon her, & she hopes you will come & see her in it. It is just what would please you. When will you be here if you come East? Tell me thou bird! We have found a number of “Four leaved clovers” here, & send you one for luck, & your good wishes to this rooftree[?]! Direct to me here if you write at once, & believe me
Ever affly your C.C.
Love from Miss Stebbins & her sister who is here (Miss Fleming)
Yours of 6 “+++”; to hand yesterday forwarded here, when we arrived on the even of the 13th, intending a stay until the 2 Sep’ when I go to New York for a months sojourn before commencing my work. I see recd your former letter warning me not to attempt to cross the Sierras in Early December, or returning in early Jany, which is my purpose. You do not know, perhaps that in my profession, we must make our Engagt- [engagement abbreviated?], individually, as it suits a managers interest for his whole season. An Engagt was offered me, commencing 14” Dec. for five weeks, this was the only [underlined] time I could have in California. I made as I thought proper enquiries as to the chances of my being caught at that season in the snow, & finding that it is usually free at that time I concluded my Engagt & now it is irrevocable—if [underlined] I am in health to act anywhere. So you must [help?] me by lifting off my fears which you have excited, & not giving them to my friend Miss Stebbins who accompanies me there and by obtaining for me, any statistics as to the dates, at different years that these perils & sufferings have come. Will you do this, & when you communicate it to me, let it be when you & I are alone, for I presume by your letter that you are purposing to come East not withstanding your first determination to remain there [underlined] over the winter. About the dress, dear, that your last letter wails of. I can perhaps help you when you come, bring it with you (the silk one). Miss Chapman & her dress maker have made an awful mistake, & we must rectify it together. Miss Chapman took out all Miss Stebbins measures for a costume walking dress of black silk [last six words underlined]. After the death of her mother she wrote to Miss Chapman that it must be trimmed with crape [underlined]. This order was to be carried out, if Miss C. should go to Paris [last seven words underlined]. It happens that she does not got to Paris & she loses all Miss Stebbins measures yet she resolves to carry out the order for the black silk dress, & bring home a flourishing skirt made in London with flounces &c &c, trimmed with crape, & not daring to have the body made, brings a piece of silk for that purpose, & the trimmings for the body made & basted upon a white muslin waist, just to show where the trimmings were to be placed. When the basket arrived (into which she had put everything which my brother had sent out.) in the tray of said box, Miss Chapman puts your two dresses all made, & this skirt & muslin waist which she wrote me was for Miss S. of course in opening the tray, I took out what she said belonged to Miss S. & sent the rest to Cosprings, but it is very possible that the trimmings of this muslin body which is, we now find upon Examination is plaited may be your trimming & the “Basque of 36 inches in the waist may be for Miss Stebbins, who measures 25 inches in the waist. When the skirt of this dress was taken out, Miss Stebbins was so heartsick, at the stupidity which had brought her a full dress evening dress instead of a walking dress, that she put it away in disgust & has not examined it further. There you see the mistake may have occurred & when you come to N York, you shall enquire for us at 128 E. 16th St., & you shall be helped out of your dilemma, if I [underlined] can help you, or, if you are not coming East, & will let me know where to send it, I will forward to you this muslin body, or the skirt as it seems best to you & we will get the other skirt on basque from you when we arrive St. Louis in late November. I am in many respects much better from my water treatment, & my constant change of air this summer. I had three weeks in Newport in June, three weeks in Hyde Park in July—from the 17’ July to the 12th of August in Newport. Exquisitely cool weather & dry nearly all the time. When the hot days began (8th of august), I packed my trunks & came away here where it is more gorgeous than words can describe! Miss Stebbins is in great joy over her possession of this long little “[Lothie?],” wh. I have been able to bestow upon her, & she hopes you will come & see her in it. It is just what would please you. When will you be here if you come East? Tell me thou bird! We have found a number of “Four leaved clovers” here, & send you one for luck, & your good wishes to this rooftree[?]! Direct to me here if you write at once, & believe me
Ever affly your C.C.
Love from Miss Stebbins & her sister who is here (Miss Fleming)
From
Cushman, Charlotte Saunders, 1816-1876
To
Jackson, Helen Hunt, 1830-1885
Location
Lenox, MA, US
Geocode (Latitude)
42.356475
Geocode (Longitude)
-73.2848289
Annotations
added by the person who transcribed the letter: [Note: Break in the correspondence--following two letters from 1875]
Social Bookmarking
Geolocation
Collection
Citation
Cushman, Charlotte Saunders, 1816-1876, “Letter from Charlotte Cushman to Helen Hunt, Aug 16, 1874,” Archival Gossip Collection, accessed April 20, 2024, https://archivalgossip.com/collection/items/show/271.