Francis Ashley Carlisle, Feb 12, 1907

Chicago Ill
Feb 12 .07
Dear Ones at Home:

It has been a long time since I received your last letter but my time has been so full that it seems that I have hardly had time to think.

It has been quite cold here + we have felt it for we are remodeling our house + that is a cold operation. Every room has been changed except the kitchen which we intend to

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tear down in the spring. As I get home from work at 4.30 every day, I try to do a little and all our changes so far das not cost us a cent in money. This month I will try my hand at plastering. I don't know how I shall make out but as I would have to pay a mason 67 1/2 cts an hour I will be satisfied if I get it stuck on so that we can paper over it. In the spring we hope to raise the house so that some day we may have a basement. also we will add a new kitchen + bedroom.

On New Years day Mamie got wet + contracted a severe cold on the lungs. She made a plaster + put it on + it sliped off to one side + burned her side quite badly. The burn healed but in its stead came 10 or 15 boils which we doctored patiently till they dissapeared only to be followed by a large + painful abcess on the left side which became so bad that we had to have it lanced a little over a week ago. It was fierce. Mean while her teeth began to trouble her so that they had to be tended to at once. In the first part of the above chapter the babys head broke out badly with eczema while I brought up the rear with two quite respectable boils on my right arm. However we are all better now. Frances alone escaped + her abundence

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of spirits nearly drown out what little _ence we had left. Mamie's Mother came up and helped us out for a week or I don't know what we would have done. As you see I hardly had time to write or any thing else + through it all I lost but one day.

My work in the shop is very agreeable, + I am a sort of "straw boss" now. I am building a combination derreck, wrecking + pile driving car which will cost about $12000 when done. Am setting up my engines now while I have to keep about 20 men moving in all departments. The work is interesting but the responsibility of pending $12000 in 3 months for some body else is not comfortable to have.

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In addition to all else I am devoting what time I can to my independant church. Though i am working in one of the hardest districts of the city, nearly all foreign + catholics + Lutherans at that. I am much encouraged. I had 87 in Sunday school last Sunday and over 40 out to preaching service. If I am able to bring a little light in some darkened lives I shall be content. We with drew from our Church not long ago and are now working independently. If anybody don't like what I say they can leave now + not us. It seems sad that many of our persecutions should come from within the church rather from outside. In our change we have made no change in our beliefs or practices

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It hardly seems possible that Daniel has another birthday this month. I am afraid that your little children have all gone and grown men + women fill their places. It will not be long till I ma in my thirtieth year. As I sit here tonight + see my children talking + laughing at their play It hardly seems possible that this is me. It is when my miserable alarm cock goes off at 5-15 every morning that I realize that I live very much in the present.

We enjoyed "you alls" letter very much. We must write oftener.

Enclosed please find order for Daniel. $25 with interest for 9 mo + 19 days $1.20 please sent receipt for same earliest convinience.

Frances says to tell her Grandma's that she is good. (You must take this with a grain of salt).

Well Well I see I have been writingto a reckless length so will close with love from all to all.

Frank

432 - 100 Pl.
Chicago Ill.

P.S. Have had to reorganize my finances since writing the above so send $20 without interest which I will pay later.

Frank

Frank's father, Ashley, was a mason by trade but it seems he didn't pass his skill on to Frank.

What kind of "plaster" could Mamie have made that would have burned her so badly? Was it a chemical burn?

Mamie's mother was Lydia Bartlett Carlisle.


For more see:
Camfield Family Letters
Descendants of Sarah Ann Wisner
Michael Camfield


Carlisle, Francis Ashley (Chicago, IL) to “Dear Folks at Home”
[Sarah Ann Camfield Carlisle]. Letter. 12 February 1907. Digital Images 1-4.
Privately held by Apple, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Snowville, New York. 2009.
[Carlisle Family, Box #1, Correspondence, 1907,
Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan. 2008.]