X953/2/9/7

Letter to Mary from her brother, Jethro John Wiggins.

14 December 1875

From: 1875 To: 1875

Written at Draughton Lodge. ...You I know must be looking for a line from me. It is not for want of Heart or that [‘we’ crossed out] I do not think of you that time elapses without hearing from me. I find my time fully occupied going after my business that when Evening comes I feel always tired and perhaps sometimes too lazy to write. You seem dreadfully afraid of the World getting into your heart; with me I more afraid of it leaving me out in the cold. We have been threshing[?] the last few days, Saturday excepted, and considering the Quantity Quality and Value of the corn not very satisfactory or remunerative. How strange it is that we should have to struggle along all our life through; it seems almost a great hindrance in absorbing our time and attention for our growth in better things. I am sure I am diligent in business but I cannot always feel as if I can truly say the concluding part of the passage. There is one thought should comfort us, that is the Ravens are fed and the lilies clothed and we always have had food and clothing so we must not harbour a discontented spirit but trust even these earthly disappointments may work for our good. I hope we both shall always feel that ‘His love in times past Forbids me to think He will leave me at last In trouble to sink’ [from John Newton’s hymn, ‘Begone, unbelief’] I have written so much that what I now write must be short and to the point. First of all I hope to pay most of your money as soon in the New Year as possible; at any rate you shall have it as soon as I have sold my corn. When I have made that matter straight I shall still be very short of cash and want £100 to pay different accounts; of course I can get that amount at the Bank but I do not want to over draw if I can help it. I daresay you have not heard of Mr. Watt’s[?] death. It happened in Northampton Asylum; buried at Harrington. John Bates and John Turner are left Executors; their duties may last 20 years or more as there is a baby in arms. Mrs. Hafford has been very ill; Miss Bell called home from North to nurse. John William has taken Mr. Waters’ new shop in Rothwell; the latter has already fallen out with his young wife. Mr. Adams of Daventry we expect in tomorrow lecturing in[?] Rothwell in the evening on Disestablishment. I hope you will enjoy your trip to Ramsey. I shall not go now; have other places to go to before I visit there again, though I enjoyed myself very much, but twice a year is more than you get from me.

item

Adams,
Bates, John,
Bell, Margaret Ann,
Hafford,
Sanders, Mary,
Turner, John,
Waters,
Watts,
Wiggins, Jethro John,
Wiggins, Mary Ann,
William, John

Draughton [Northamptonshire], Rothwell [Northamptonshire], Northamptonshire, Northampton General Lunatic Asylum, family correspondence, agriculture crops, threshing