Loyalist Women in New Brunswick, 1783-1827: Letter from Penelope Winslow to Edward Winslow, 6 June 1811, [n.p.]

As I know postage is a great thing in
England, I never allow a private opportunity
to escape without an epistle, and I flatter
myself my dear Edward ere this you are once
more safely fin,d at Kensington, in readiness to
receive any communications from Kingsclear where
every thing remains in the usual state, except
that we have just met with a very cruel
disappointment — (which you will allow is no great
novelty with us) last March we receiv,d letters
from poor Murray, dated at Portland — in which
he told us, he had been imprudent enough
to horse whip the mate of the ship he came
in (for impertinence he found it impossible to
submit to) and had been thrown into goal for
it by the mans friends, and that it was
impossible for him to extricate himself (by paying
the damages) without the assistance of Papa
immediately on the receipt of his letter Papa
wrote to him giving \the/ aid he requir,d accom–
–pany,d by letters from us all, — and for the
last three weeks we have anxiously and hourly
expected him — But a few evenings since
as Elisa and myself were going to town
to attend the Birthnight Ball we met letters
on the way, with information, that our unfortunate
Brother tir,d and worn out by confinement had
been induc,d (a few days previous to the arrival
of our letters in Portland) for the sake of liberty
to accept the offer of some person just going
to Russia and to our great mortification and
disappointment sail,d for that place, with an
Idea (I,m afraid) that we had not exerted ourselves
as we ought for his comfort, which God knows
{damaged: } not the case — Papa was delighted with the
thought of his return, and he had made every
preparation for him, and were in hopes, to prevail
in him to remain with us — now I almost resign
all hopes of ever seeing him again, our disap–
–pointment unfitted us for the Ball and Elisa
and myself turn,d about and came home to
{damaged: } the unceasing misfortunes that seem to
attend every step that poor unfortunate fellow
takes —

The Judges french Medicine has I assure
you made quick a new man of him — he now
seldom submits to more than a days pain from
the gout — But takes this wonderfull medicin in
the Evening and the next morning gets up as
well as usual — Aunt Sally is still with
us, and I fear fate has ordain,d that we
are to be Bless,d with her as long as she
lives — which will be as long as rum can preserve
her — as we have no taste for Brandy sweat
meats we will with a great deal of pleasure
resign her to you if you are fond of tit Bits
I am happy to say Matrimony begins to flou–
rish here again — Miss Sproule and Cap^t Moodie
have at last enter,d the Holy estate — and Miss
George on the very brink of it — with the Col.
of the 104^th in the last match I fear there is
little prospect of Happiness — the Col. is very much
given to drink and appears to want common under standing — But is of a good family and a full Col.
which I fear is his most predominant attraction
even in the eyes of the family. — Bell Hails
and Pay master Carmicheal are also going to be
married in a few weeks — these are not flirtations
but settled things — tis thought this regiment
{damaged: } move to Halifax immediately, which I confess I am
{damaged: } sorry for — at Present almost all the
officers are out on the recruiting service, Hunter,
Jenkins, Maule &c &c are in Canada — M^rs Maule
has just got a son — I shall be griev,d indeed if the{damaged: }
removal of the regiment carries the general off too — as I
shall miss M^rs Hunter most shockingly — I return,d only
last week from spending almost a month with her, she
is certainly one of the Best women in the world, I don't
know what puts it in my head But I have always
thought M^rs Weldon and her must be very much alike
she is so gentle and kind to every body, and tho'
she never felt misfortunes her self{damaged: } pity
and feel for those that have — I spend a
fortnight with her once in a while, which pleasure
I shou,d be very sorry to resign — you will be sorry
tho' not supris,d when I tell you my dear Edward that
our neighbor Rainsford and us are not upon speaking
terms (as they call it) — the Miss Phairs and them
are call,d the inseperables, and I fear we are indebted
to the Miss P-s for our coolness with the Rainsfords — the Phairs
and us however visit as usual tho' I confess I have not a
very high opinion of them just now — Andrew Rainsford
we see every day — we miss Jenkins not a little I
assure you — do write to as often as possible my dear Brother
while you remain in Englang — its just a year since your
last letters were dated — But as I seem to feel assur,d
you are doing well, I am determind not to make my
self uneasy — I wish for Papas sake he cou,d meet you
in England — he has not yet ceas,d to pine for Kensington
and I believe wou,d freely give half he,s worth, cou,d he
return to that place indeed I do not much wonder at
it, for a man that is fond of sociability and society
cannot be very much in his element here — when you
are a rich man my dear Edward I,ll thank you
to send for me, unless you meet with a house–
–keeper in England more suited to your taste. we
had letters from Wentworth yesterday — the poor fellow

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has been very sick ever since {damaged: }
a most severe cold he took in the passage — he is going
to Canada immediately where we shall be able to hear
from \him/ frequently — give my love to Chip, who I presume
you will see very often. you wou,d make no re–
–marks upon the defects of this production if you know
what a hurry I had written in, The Judge has
been calling me almost ever since I sat down.
I have a deal of love from all quarters for
you which you \must/ assort for yourself — I have not time
for another word