Letter from Margaret Duncan responding to a proposal from her uncle
Union Falls, N.Y. Dec. 23
Rev. H. Lyman
Forest Grove, Oregon
My Dear Uncle
Yours mailed [?th] inst. Reached me on the 21st + I improve: first opportunity to send you a reply. Something over 2 weeks seems to be the length of time it takes for a letter to get here from you were you, as long on the war, when you took your journey to The East?
The contents of your last gave me another surprise: for I little thought that after receiving only one letter from me, you would feel prepared to take such a step.
Please accept thanks for the confidence you repose in me.
It is not generally supposed that “old maids” have very tender [?] buy you may be assured that I do in some degree appreciate offer you make + can imagine something of the priceless worth of a “loving companion.”
Was there nothing but [self?] to be considered, it seems to me that I could soon give you an answer, but there are so many things to be considered that I do not feel prepared to give you a definite reply at present.
The case is somewhat different from that of my dear Aunt + yourself.
I suppose you had seen each other. Are you not coming? Too great a risk, in this placing as it were, your future happiness, in my [?]? If I [?] slightly [?] my dear Aunt thought I fear the {?] Horace if there really is any, is very slight. I may at the same time be a very different person + you might at the first glance discover something about me which would make me repulsive to you.
In that case should we not be placed in rather an unpleasant position, if we were really engaged?
Another thing which comes to my mind is the effect it would have on your peaceful + happy family to have one so unfitted for it takes the place of their beloved and +sainted mother. It would be far from my wishes, to be in any degree instrumental in leading your dear children to feel that “home is no longer home” to them,; as is often the case when a step mother enters the home. You may have to judge in this matter but I [?]. Now I will return to my own home.
I have long thought that while my mother needed my care, I should never enter the matrimonial state.
I have not as yet mentioned to her [if?] the after you make me.
She is of that age when the grasshopper is a burden + I dislike to trouble her about it she would probably think the journey to Oregon too long for her to undertake if perhaps it would not be agreeable to you + your family to have her live with you should she think she would venture to go. I think your climate would suit her better, than ours: as she dislikes our cold winters. They [?] a very awkward + perhaps almost unintelligible, manner I have mentioned some of the things I must consider before I can accept your kind + loving offer. You kindly allow me all the time I wish [?] have [invited m] express my feeling; which I have done, so far a I have gone. If our Heavenly Father sees fit for us to have the same home. “He is able” to bring it about though we may not see how. Let us trust in Him more fully + unreservedly. But I must close.
[?] Margaret
Rev. H. Lyman
Forest Grove, Oregon
My Dear Uncle
Yours mailed [?th] inst. Reached me on the 21st + I improve: first opportunity to send you a reply. Something over 2 weeks seems to be the length of time it takes for a letter to get here from you were you, as long on the war, when you took your journey to The East?
The contents of your last gave me another surprise: for I little thought that after receiving only one letter from me, you would feel prepared to take such a step.
Please accept thanks for the confidence you repose in me.
It is not generally supposed that “old maids” have very tender [?] buy you may be assured that I do in some degree appreciate offer you make + can imagine something of the priceless worth of a “loving companion.”
Was there nothing but [self?] to be considered, it seems to me that I could soon give you an answer, but there are so many things to be considered that I do not feel prepared to give you a definite reply at present.
The case is somewhat different from that of my dear Aunt + yourself.
I suppose you had seen each other. Are you not coming? Too great a risk, in this placing as it were, your future happiness, in my [?]? If I [?] slightly [?] my dear Aunt thought I fear the {?] Horace if there really is any, is very slight. I may at the same time be a very different person + you might at the first glance discover something about me which would make me repulsive to you.
In that case should we not be placed in rather an unpleasant position, if we were really engaged?
Another thing which comes to my mind is the effect it would have on your peaceful + happy family to have one so unfitted for it takes the place of their beloved and +sainted mother. It would be far from my wishes, to be in any degree instrumental in leading your dear children to feel that “home is no longer home” to them,; as is often the case when a step mother enters the home. You may have to judge in this matter but I [?]. Now I will return to my own home.
I have long thought that while my mother needed my care, I should never enter the matrimonial state.
I have not as yet mentioned to her [if?] the after you make me.
She is of that age when the grasshopper is a burden + I dislike to trouble her about it she would probably think the journey to Oregon too long for her to undertake if perhaps it would not be agreeable to you + your family to have her live with you should she think she would venture to go. I think your climate would suit her better, than ours: as she dislikes our cold winters. They [?] a very awkward + perhaps almost unintelligible, manner I have mentioned some of the things I must consider before I can accept your kind + loving offer. You kindly allow me all the time I wish [?] have [invited m] express my feeling; which I have done, so far a I have gone. If our Heavenly Father sees fit for us to have the same home. “He is able” to bring it about though we may not see how. Let us trust in Him more fully + unreservedly. But I must close.
[?] Margaret
- Title
- Letter from Margaret Duncan responding to a proposal from her uncle
- Description
- Letter from Margaret Duncan to her uncle/future father-in-law, Reverend Horace Lyman. She discusses her response to a proposal from her uncle. While it is unclear what that proposal is, it is likely a suggestion of Margaret marrying his son, Horace Sumner Lyman. She encloses a photograph of herself.
- Creator
- Lyman, Margaret Duncan
- Source
- Pacific University Archives
- Date
- 1880-1882
- Is Part Of
- Lyman Family Papers
- Format
- Letter
- Language
- English
- Identifier
- PUA_MS31_45_bb
- Rights
- http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/CNE/1.0/
- Type
- Text
- Media
-
https://exhibits.lib.pacificu.edu/files/original/556fa207888ec285747187cc04d6f5fc.pdf -
Union Falls, N.Y. Dec. 23<br/>Rev. H. Lyman<br/>Forest Grove, Oregon<br/><br/>My Dear Uncle<br/><br/>Yours mailed [?th] inst. Reached me on the 21st + I improve: first opportunity to send you a reply. Something over 2 weeks seems to be the length of time it takes for a letter to get here from you were you, as long on the war, when you took your journey to The East?<br/><br/>The contents of your last gave me another surprise: for I little thought that after receiving only one letter from me, you would feel prepared to take such a step.<br/><br/>Please accept thanks for the confidence you repose in me.<br/><br/>It is not generally supposed that “old maids” have very tender [?] buy you may be assured that I do in some degree appreciate offer you make + can imagine something of the priceless worth of a “loving companion.”<br/><br/>Was there nothing but [self?] to be considered, it seems to me that I could soon give you an answer, but there are so many things to be considered that I do not feel prepared to give you a definite reply at present.<br/><br/>The case is somewhat different from that of my dear Aunt + yourself.<br/><br/>I suppose you had seen each other. Are you not coming? Too great a risk, in this placing as it were, your future happiness, in my [?]? If I [?] slightly [?] my dear Aunt thought I fear the {?] Horace if there really is any, is very slight. I may at the same time be a very different person + you might at the first glance discover something about me which would make me repulsive to you.<br/><br/>In that case should we not be placed in rather an unpleasant position, if we were really engaged?<br/><br/>Another thing which comes to my mind is the effect it would have on your peaceful + happy family to have one so unfitted for it takes the place of their beloved and +sainted mother. It would be far from my wishes, to be in any degree instrumental in leading your dear children to feel that “home is no longer home” to them,; as is often the case when a step mother enters the home. You may have to judge in this matter but I [?]. Now I will return to my own home.<br/><br/>I have long thought that while my mother needed my care, I should never enter the matrimonial state.<br/><br/>I have not as yet mentioned to her [if?] the after you make me.<br/><br/>She is of that age when the grasshopper is a burden + I dislike to trouble her about it she would probably think the journey to Oregon too long for her to undertake if perhaps it would not be agreeable to you + your family to have her live with you should she think she would venture to go. I think your climate would suit her better, than ours: as she dislikes our cold winters. They [?] a very awkward + perhaps almost unintelligible, manner I have mentioned some of the things I must consider before I can accept your kind + loving offer. You kindly allow me all the time I wish [?] have [invited m] express my feeling; which I have done, so far a I have gone. If our Heavenly Father sees fit for us to have the same home. “He is able” to bring it about though we may not see how. Let us trust in Him more fully + unreservedly. But I must close.<br/><br/>[?] Margaret