Manuscript letter

Archives Number: 1006/004.006.002-005#013

April 15th.
My darling Mamma,
I can’t tell you how terribly disappointed I am – I had so longed ^dreamed of^ [crossed out: to] having you see Pine Mt. and my darling children and really to know what this life has been to me == and for them to know you.
But not for the world would I have you run any risk, -- and (p.2) perhaps sometime in the future when wars are a thing of the past we can come together to visit. I feel confident that any miracle can happen now, so many have come to me this winter!
It is splendid that Katrina can come, for I’d despaired of ever getting her here. I shall go to meet them tomorrow all a-twitter! So lucky am I to have had any of you!
(p.3) It would have been really too much to expect or hope to have you all.
War has come close – the first outside fact really to penetrate our mountain fortress. So intensely patriotic are all mountain folk when their country is to be fought for, that enlisting is going forward by leaps and bounds. Even boys of 16 and 17 in the school are crazy to go, and one actually wrote to the navy Dept.
I heard of the actual declaration of war at the fireside of a dear old Aunt Polly Huff –(did I write you this before?)—as she was in the midst of a vivid description of guerilla raids in the Civil War and the loss of kinfolk then. A passing neighbor called in “War’s been declared with Germany!” – and [crossed out: she] with a gesture of despair, she cried, “Thar you (p.4) are! Now Ait’ll[?] be the grandchildren!” It all seemed so inevitable a thing, so blasting a tragedy – and never shall I forget the intense darkness of the war cloud at that moment, as it dropped on us so swiftly and surely ^and relentlessly^ out of the great “Outside”. But they accept it with their usual stoical calm, and are ready to (p.5) sacrifice all. The women here can do all that the men can, so perhaps a manless region isn’t so desperate ^a situation^ as in other parts of the world. But the tragedy of parting is fully as great! And they go so far, to such a remote world.
I suppose you are all steeped in Red Cross organization. How much there is to be done, and how (p.6) wonderfully everyone is [crossed out: starting] ^going^ about it! Tuk wrote me of the Easter evening gathering of friends, each with his own special “bit” planned.
It made me feel as if I couldn’t stay away one instant more. Six weeks seems an eternity—but after all, I suppose no actual departures will be made for a long time yet. Oh, but I want to be there, thought, to share in the decisions and talk! –
A heart brimming over with love, and the Sunday peace of these April mountains to you in this time of upheaval. How [crossed out: much] close it draws all ties, and steadies one’s faith!
Your own,
Bunny.
[Small pansy(?), blossom, stem and leaves, found pressed in letter [1917]-04-15. Separated and moved to Series Separated Items]

• Keywords: long archives; henry w. longfellow family papers (long 27930); erica (thorp) de berry; document; correspondence; henry wadsworth longfellow family papers (1006); education; school; war; world war i; Erica Thorp deBerry Papers (1006/004.006); (LONG-SeriesName); Outgoing (1006/004.006.002); (LONG-SubseriesName); 1917 (1006/004.006.002-005); (LONG-FileUnitName)