  With a great pleasure for me to write wishing you a merry Christmas, & a jolly new year, I have never forgotten you, & think of the fine calls that we made on each other, in Vt. a year ago in Sept. I enjoyed a taste of those sweet meats often that you sent me last Winter, & also gave my dear
Description Handwritten letter on lined paper from Laura Dewey Bridgman to Mrs. Abbie Foster, dated December 12th, 1880.
Complete Transcription S Boston. Dec 12th. 1880 My dear Mrs Forest, With a great pleasure for me to write wishing you a merry Christmas, & a jolly new year, I have never forgotten you, & think of the fine calls that we made on each other, in Vt. a year ago in Sept. I enjoyed a taste of those sweet meats often that you sent me last Winter, & also gave my dear friends some of my candy. I have [so] many orders to fulfil for Santaclaus [sic], that I cannot steal a bit of my own time for making many gifts for my friends according to the glorious blessing of Christmas & new year. How glad my heart would feel to send you a piece of my knit, Lace, but my time is so fully occupied for the friends who wish to give some articles made by my own hands away. I wonder if Santaclaus [sic] will visit me for you. Do you anticipate a call from him[?] He may make you & me suffer with a cold day, as he rambles from chimneys, in order to deliver gifts to us. My birth[day]. come[s] just in 1 week from tomorrow. You may remember me. I shall be a half century & one year old. I expect a fine visit from my little & dear blind & deaf friend Kate. Grant an invalid, on my birth.day. with my best friend Miss Moulton at the old Post unless some thing prevents her. Kate is so feeble for ma[n]y years past [.] She was ill with rheumatism in her knees &c for a few years. She called on me last Nov. & visited me 1 day last Winter, or in the Spring. I visited her 1 day in May. She resides in Newton Mass. She is not as tall as yourself. Her Sister is her guardian from place to place. She lived a good many years in Boston then the Dr recommended highly for her to go in the country, for good, when she was so miserable in ill health. It was painful for poor little lady Kate to be removed along. Is better in a'days, but will never be well again. I have a couple of mats & a tiny pitcher [and] a pair of doll-mittens knit by her delicate hands, so precious to my choice. She was instructed to articulate with her mouth as a deaf mute. She is a most charming & loving little lady. Please to excuse a mistake. I mean that my birth[day]. come[s] 1 week from Tuesday 21 of Dec. instead of Monday. I now compr[e]hend that last year, Feb had a Leap-day. I shall be most happy to receive a letter from you. How is your health & is your little son Harry as well now [?] I have the lock of his hair, around the foot-pattern, that you sent me. How do you spend the time[?] I give my aid to the matron with whom I abide the second winter Miss Smith, besides a big family of nice blind girls but they can see a good deal, & 1 small sweet girl who is totally blind, & 2 teachers. I am often ill, a bed. Don't feel as strong as 2 years ago, & have aches on my back. I assist in work[,] school[.] I am so tired writing. I read in Bible usually[.] I visited Sister Nell 3 weeks in Sept. & most [of] 2 weeks in June, once in Nov. Yours truly, L. D. Bridgman.
Transcript S Boston. Dec 12th. 1880 My dear Mrs Forest, With a great pleasure for me to write wishing you a merry Christmas, & a jolly new year, I have never forgotten you, & think of the fine calls that we made on each other, in Vt. a year ago in Sept. I enjoyed a taste of those sweet meats often that you sent me last Winter, & also gave my dear