My
darling child Lilly,
I am
thinking you will not have your dear husband, or your two eldest sons with you
this Christmas, as you have had hitherto, so I am trying to collect my
thoughts, to send you a long letter to read to those you have with you, and I
fancy you will like to take it with you when you leave old England, as I am
telling you some incidents in my long life.
I
was born in the small village of Penn, Buckinghamshire, in the year of our Lord
1823, March 31st. There was 11 of us, all born in the same house. My parents
were very strict though kind; we were not allowed to mix with other children,
but we did not mind. We had a large arbor in the back garden, where we spent
our summer evenings; there my brothers had flute, clarinet etc., so they played
and we sang to our hearts content, and we were happy. I do not remember that we
had any outings as children do now, but once a year my father hired a horse and
trap, and took some of us to Prestwood (where mother had a small farm) for a
day's nutting, my parents in front and we behind, and thought we were grand. I
believe the old farmer provided the same sort of dinner each year - boiled leg
of mutton and turnips; I know we enjoyed the day, and came home laden with
nuts, very happy, and more contented than children are now, who have so much
more pleasure.
We
went to bed early; there was no light but a rush light - and we rose early,
especially when it was the day for the poor sweep boys to go up the chimney, to
see his broom come out the top. I can remember the very shelf where the tinder
box was kept; someone had to strike with flint and steel to get a light, and
put a brimstone match to it to get light, for there was no lucifer matches
until 1834. There was no gas then, so the service in the church was held in the
afternoon, and in the little chapel there was candles which had to be snuffed
during the service; and one Sunday night my young brother Charles went round to
do it, and got confused, and snuffed them out by mistake!
We
had but few letters; there was no Post Office in the village - an old woman
named Betty Channer went to Beaconsfield, 2½ miles away, in all weathers, every
morning except Sunday, to fetch them. The postage was ?[1]
and 2 for herself; there was no envelopes, the letters had to be folded, so so[2],
and sealed with wax. What joy there was in 1840 when the 1d post was announced,
and then in 1861 the ½d postcard. There was no railway near us; the first
railway was opened in the North in 1825. We had to go 2 miles to take coach for
London; we did not make many journeys then. But in 1849 I went by coach to
London, from London to Worcester, and then by post-chaise to Malvern, the
postillion on the horses. I was in London in 1851, and went to the Crystal
Palace soon after it opened; I thought it was wonderful.
I
have lived in four reigns. I was 7 years old when George 4th died; he only
reigned 10 years - history says he died through gluttony and drunkenness.
William 4th reigned seven years; though it was such a short reign, he came to
our village twice to visit Earl Howe[3],
once to the christening of Earl Howe's baby at our church. There was a great
fete; the poor children had a tea. My parents and some of us were invited to
the Vicarage grounds to see the King and Queen Adelaide; after they left we had
refreshments in the house. The young girl who was my companion, Sarah Rolfe, I
believe is still living; she was a little older than me. William was a good
King, was loved much and his subjects mourned when he died in 1837, when
Victoria began her long reign. I remember my father taking us to Windsor Castle,
soon after the Prince of Wales was born, to see the castle; and we saw the
Queen and the Prince Consort come on to the terrace, and a nurse with the young
prince in her arms, the band playing, the flowers blooming all so bright. Ah
me! poor Queen, she looked happy then, but she had many sorrows in after years.
What grief there was in the nation and throughout the world, when the Prince
Consort died in 1861; there was general mourning indeed then. Then dear
Princess Alice died in 1878; one of her children had diptheria, she would nurse
it, and caught it. Another of the Queen's sons, the Duke of Albany, died in
1884, Prince Battenburg in 1896, Duke of Edinburgh in 1890, Duke of Clarence
her grandson 1892. There was great rejoicing in 1863 when the Prince of Wales
was married; all the children in the parish of Southall had tea on Norwood
Green, 4 bakers had to make the cake for them, and ours was said by all to be
the best[4].
How
many things happened for good, during Victoria's long reign, of which I
remember; Window tax abolished in 1857, Slavery no longer in the United States
1857, chloroform found out and used in 1837, Post Office savings bank in 1861.
Bank holiday in 1868, drinking fountains in London 1859. There was no telegrams
till 1883, no telephones till 1876. I saw the dear Queen at Osborne[5]
not long before she died; she was in a small loco carriage, with one outrider,
she had on a shabby old-looking hat, that many of her servants would not have
worn. She died in 1901. I saw her body borne along in the boat from Osborne, to
be taken to Windsor. Then King Edward began his reign in 1901. I saw him a few
days after he was a King.
I
call to mind the great men I have heard speak and preach. Soon after we were
married, we drove up to London to hear J B Gough lecture in Exeter Hall. We got
to the turnpike gate in-coming after 12, so called the old man up and had to
pay double; no turnpikes now - all done away. I heard Spurgeon preach in the
Crystal Palace on thanksgiving day after the Crimean War; I have heard him in
Park Street just before it was burnt down, and in a barn at Harvest Home (and I
carved for him at the dinner), and several times at the Tabernacle. I heard
Punshun lecture in Exeter Hall on "Joseph", and preach in Ealing
Chapel. I have heard Dr Talmage, Ward Beecher, Dr Davidson, Dr Jackson, Dr
Jenkins, Dr Parker, Dr Clark, W G Simpson, Peter MacKenzie, John Battenbury,
Charles Garrett, Gervase Smith, H Price Hughes, and many others who are now
before the Great White Throne. And of those who are still living, John MacNeil,
Dr Stevenson, Dr Glover, Dr Rigg, Dr Clifford, Dr M Gibson, Mr Meyer, Gregory
Mantle, Campbell Morgan, Mark Guy Pearse, Josiah Nix, Richard Roberts, Rev
Jones of Bournemouth, Dr Fitchet, and many other good men, who though not great
in the world's estimation, yet their words abide in my heart, and I know they
are in glory.
I
have had much pleasure in my life. My dear husband, always kind, has been ready
always for me to go away, as much as lay in his power. I have been to Paris
twice, seen some of its gaities; I was there in the first exhibition on my way
to Italy in 1872 and again in 1878. I have been to Milan, been in and on the
Cathedral, which is of solid marble, and said to be one of the wonders of the
world. Also to Lake Maggero, and to the islands round, and to old Verona; saw
the tomb of Romeo and Juliet, gathered some flowers which I have now. I have
rowed in the gondolas on the sea of Venice, been in St Marks, saw the rich
mosaics and have one of them. Been into the palace of the Inquisition, into the
cells, sat in the Inquisitor's chair, and seen the instruments of torture used;
been through the bridge of sighs, seen the canals of gay people by night, in St
Marks square and fed the pigeons, and seen the beggars on the church steps
begging for alms. I went over the Simploss pass in a Diligence by night in
1878, stopped at an inn at Domodosalo, saw the poor women come down from the
mountains with large necks, through drinking the mountain water. The road I
passed on the Simploss is 6218 ft above the sea level. One tunnel I went
through is 683 ft in length, and over it dashes a mountain torrent, and on each
side the rock is 200 ft above the road. It was an awful night; I felt very ill
and no-one could speak English, and I could not speak French; the first place
we stopped I asked for water - they brought me soup; I said "No, water,
water", and an old priest going by said "Ah! Aqua".
I
nearly lost my life in Italy in 1872 in a flood caused by snow on the mountains
melting and coming down, over-flowing the lake. I had to escape over the roof
of a house in the night, and was led over a plank by a big Italian holding my
hands, and he walking backwards, to a safe place. It was a pitiful sight to see
the poor people sitting about, turned out of their houses; it was on a Sunday,
so the churches were open for them to go in, many people were injured and some
went mad from fright; they were in a theatre and could not escape, only by
being put in wine tubs and being swung over the river to a church, by the
soldiers. I, with my sister and her husband, went to an Hotel till the roads
were passable, when some friends of my sisters fetched us in their carriage to
their castle, where we stayed a week. Italy is a beautiful country, but there
are many dangers. I have been through Mount Cenis tunnel 3 times; once we had
to stay a night in Turin on account of the snow.
So
you see I have had much pleasure, and seen many places of interest, both at
home and abroad. God has wonderfully blessed me with a long life and good
health. I have had many trials and many losses, but my mercies have far
exceeded, and I can never be sufficiently grateful to God for health of body
and mind. Not so much as others have I deserved, yet God has given me more.
Though many sorrows and heartaches, yet much happiness and peace, with the love
of my dear children and grandchildren.
And
now the eventide has come. I shall not travel much more on earth, except to see
my dear children. I am quite satisfied; I have at present health and peace, and
all that I need; I know not when the end will come - it must be drawing nigh,
but I am not afraid to enter the valley, it's light, and I know there is a
mansion for me. I shall see the King in His beauty. I have so many dear ones
there, 4 dear children, and 5 of the dear grandchildren, and so many friends,
that it's like going home, so many gone, others following. I hope
your dear father and me shall not be long separated. I don't know how I shall bear
to part with you and your children, but I can understand Walter's longing to
have you all, so that the joy of knowing you will be all together dwelling in
peace and love, that through my tears I will rejoice and be glad, believing
that you, Walter, and each dear child will be with me at last, by the River of
Water of Life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the Throne of God.
Out
of 11 of us we are only 3. My father died in 1846, mother in 1878; they with 2
sisters and 5 brothers are buried in Penn churchyard. My never-to-be-forgotten
beloved Fred's dust is in Cowes cemetery IOW. Where the rest of our bodies will
be, cannot tell, but we shall all meet at Jesus' feet, and crown Him Lord of
all. And now I must stop, though I could write more, but you will be tired of
this.
I
know not if this is the last year of my life, or how soon the flood may bear me
far,
But
I hope to see my Saviour's face, when I have crossed the Bar.
E.
Birch
A Mother's Question
Soft
waves of chestnut hair - golden the sun -
Red
mouth, whose curving lips dimpled with fun;
Skin fair
and soft and smooth, cheeks tingled with rose,
Eyes in
whose smiling depths happiness glows,
Never the
cloud of tears shadowed their blue -
This was
the mother's face my baby knew.
Hair
white as driven snow, face seamed and drawn,
Pale lips
with grief-lines marked, all laughter gone,
Eyes dull
and lustreless, faded by tears,
Empty
arms, aching heart, all these long years.
Lord, if
we meet again, by Thy dear grace,
How shall
my baby know his mother's face?