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Christmas Night (1860) Minneapolis
Friend Louisa:
Ginnie and Mr. Hunt have gone to spend the evening at a friend’s house in the neighborhood; the cubs are all in bed, but not asleep. I hear Kate’s voice above all the rest insisting that Santa Claus did come. Last night, the others not being quite so positive, they begin to question his reality. Look on him as a recondite personage. I will leave them to settle the matter as best they can but they will be sleeping before that happens.
In your letter to Ginnie of the 18th inst. You suggest that I must feel a sense of loneliness having lost so good a wife - Alas! My kind friend, this is truly my case. I hope it may not be considered weakness, but, notwithstanding all my philosophy, I feel a void in my heart, that cannot be healed. She was a noble woman, so dutiful , so loving, so cheerful and amiable - her sense of right so clear - her judgement so exact. My good friend, you knew her well but I knew her heart. She was void of guile. Her hand and heart were open to everything that was good, and moved to nothing because it was conventional, or because it was customary; but only because it was right. Oh, what a loss we did all sustain in her death. You will not understand me as being melancholy, and desponding, for I am not, nor do I desire her back, but conceive of me, as being cheerful and happy, in good health and competent to discharge all the duties incumbent upon me to perform. And now let me say a word concerning the children. It will not do to say much of Ginnie, as she will copy these pencilling to you but suffice it to say that she is all I can desire.
Emma is with her mother in a happier and better state of existence. I firmly believe this. (note: In some notes I have, in Bertha "Aunt Bert" Bell Hunt's handwriting, it states that Emma was born In 1846 and died in 1860. No cause given. Also in these notes there is reference to a first born daughter named Elizabeth Nicholson Grimshaw who died at 1 week. In 1850 another daughter was born and named Elizabeth Nicholson Grimshaw and it is noted that she married a George W. Cooley. -JGF)
Elwood is going to school, perhaps he is not so far advanced as some of his old associates, but I do not deem this a disadvantage. He has ample time yet to pursue his studies, mean time, he has developed an athletic form, and a robust constitution, with a tolerable share of beauty, a good mechanical head, with a fair amount of intellect, and with all a good boy.
Will has entered school and is doing well. I have no hesitation in pronouncing a perfect model in structure. He is the largest boy of his age that I ever saw, full chested, square built, with perfect limbs, large head with light curly hair, large clear blue eyes, and pleasing face, and as much vigor, and strength as is rarely found in boys of his age. I look upon him as the flower of the flock.
Lide is the same little witch she always was The same complexion of her mother. She can do anything, or thinks she can, which will amount to about the same thing in the future, for when we think we can accomplish a thing, the end is more than half attained. I set her down as the making of a competent woman.
And now I come to speak of little Kate. She is just the nicest little "critter" you ever saw. She speaks every word as plain as any of us, and knows every tune by name as soon as we sing or play it, goes to bed at night and is as little trouble as a grown person, all she wants is enough to eat and drink and plenty of time to sleep. Her hair is light, eyes deep blue, cheeks like roses. I have been particular in describing the cubs because I thought you would be interested in knowing how they progressed. Probably in the spring I will send you their daguerreotypes.
The times have been exceedingly hard in the west, owing to the late financial crisis. Real estate has fallen immensely in value, and individuals who thought themselves wealthy, and were living accordingly have been so reduced that they cannot get credit for a pound of butter. You are acquainted with some of these. I do not pity them, for they became quite arrogant in times of prosperity and now are having their reward. But the times had changed and I began to think we were at the beginning of a more prosperous condition and were ushering in a new era upon a more permanent basis. When suddenly new difficulties that I have long foreseen burst upon us. I allude to the feeling manifested between the people of the north and south; our currency is again depreciated, confidence destroyed, and this brings me to speak of politics; a subject unfortunately not very agreeable to ladies generally. I think the Union will be severed, the "irrepressible conflict" must go on, we cannot, nor we should not, compromise with slavery; We must do what is right in accordance to our conscience, let the consequence be what it may. I have not been one of those that looks upon our system of government as the "ne plus ultra" of human achievement. It has many objectionable parts, and I am of the opinion that if this union is to be preserved in no other way than by enslaving of four millions of her people and allowing this spread of " this sum of all villainies" the sooner it is destroyed the better. I have a firm faith that the good people if our country will be equal to the emergency when it comes. "Chaos will not come again" - you may rely upon this, we will not retrograde, man’s course is onward. We must to justly, and remember at all times that God reigns. I can but admire the position assumed and sustained by the president-elect. His silence is awful while we know his ability to speak. Amid all threatening and clash of contending parties he stands unmoved.
"As some tall cliff that lifts is awful form,
swells from the vale, and midway
leaves the storm.
Though round its breast the rolling clouds are spread
eternal sunshine settles on it head"
Commend me to your husband, and family, and to my friends generally, and believe me to be your sincere friend.
R.E.Grimshaw
This verse Great Great Gramps was quoting is an excerpt from a poem called "The Deserted Village" by Goldsmith