Record Data
Source citation
Douglass, Adele Cutts, to Her Mother, Chicago, IL, 24 June 1857. As printed in The Letters of Stephen A. Douglas, ed. Robert W. Johannsen. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1961, p. 384-385.
Recipient (to)
Douglass, Adele Cutts
Type
Letter
Date Certainty
Exact
Transcriber
Carolina Jimenez
Transcription date
Transcription
The following text is presented here in complete form, as it originally appeared in print.
Letter from Adele Cutts Douglass to Her Mother
Chicago
My dearest Mother, Wednesday June 24th
I have been thinking so much of home tonight and have just got a chance to write you after having talked myself to death over some very stupid women who honored me by calling socially-the object of most interest now in Chicago is a number of robberies which have set the world nearly crazy here and alarm me terribly of course all very needless they say-last night we had a serenade but a serenade loses its charm when you are obliged to ask the musicians in the house & give them a drink-which destroys the sentiment. We dine here at 2 OC. and commence visiting at 11-the distances are so magnificent that I am keep busy from morning till night returning calls & somebody always to dinner so dear Mamma you see how little rest I have here to be very honest with you but you must never mention that I say so. I shall never breath freely in this atmosphere-you can never imagine until you come here how forlorn one feels after being accustomed to interesting & very refine people & how terribly ugly & dirty this City is. It has rained now for a fortnight and the roads are worse than any you can imagine-I am counting the days when I shall return dear Mamma, please write me what Mary the washwoman has been doing to offend you. I got a note from her which I enclose to you together with $40 for Isaac’s wages or Mary’s if it is convenient-I have not answered this not at all-but if I wish you would speak to Father O’ Toole about it-please write me about all you are doing and how everyone is getting along in Washington. Does anyone remember me-I feel quite like an outcast & when you write about the friends and amusements at Washington I wish myself back in the old house on the hill. I enclose the money inside of the note from Mary-the children are well and happy they send a great deal of love to Grand Ma & Grand Pa and Mr. Douglas sends you his best love. I saw Corcoran at St. Louis but he did not come to see me in Chicago. Gerrit Smith dined with us yesterday and I went to hear him lecture though Douglas did not go of course. I was astonished at his Ultra Views. Give my love to Mrs. Graham & ask if she got my letter & tell me if [Flan?] has returned. Ask Jeannie to write to me. I am so anxious to hear some news of Washington. Good night dearest Mother best love to Papa & a thousand kisses to you. Your devoted daughter-
Addie Douglas
Maddie is well and seems content he is out tonight visiting some ladies please burn my letters. Don’t let Papa keep them because I write many things I should not except in great confidence. I am trying to like this place but it is very difficult.