Letter from Dinah Mulock Craik to Helen Brodie, 18 May 1869.

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                <title>Letter from <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DMC">Dinah Mulock
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                        Brodie</persName>, <date when="1869-05-18">18 May 1869.</date>
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                <author ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DMC">Dinah Mulock Craik</author>
                <editor ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#BourrierKaren">Karen Bourrier</editor>
                <sponsor>
                    <orgName>Dinah Mulock Craik: A Digital Archive</orgName>
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                <sponsor>University of Calgary</sponsor>
                <principal>Karen Bourrier</principal>
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                    <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#BourrierKaren">Karen Bourrier</persName>
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                <respStmt>
                    <resp>Proofing of transcription <date when="2017-05">May 2017</date> by </resp>
                    <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#AndersonHannah">Hannah Anderson</persName>
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                <respStmt>
                    <resp>TEI encoding <date when="2017-04">April 2017</date> by</resp>
                    <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#FukushimaKailey">Kailey Fukushima</persName>
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                    <resp>Proofing of TEI encoding <date when="2017-05">May 2017</date> by</resp>
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                <edition>First digital edition in TEI, date: <date when="2017-05">May 2017.</date>
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                    <head>Letter from <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DMC">Dinah Mulock
                            Craik</persName> to <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#BrodieHelen">Helen
                            Brodie</persName>, <date when="1869-05-18">18 May 1869.</date>
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                            <note>MS9754; Folio 136</note>
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                <p> Our aim in this edition has been to transcribe the content of the letters as
                    accurately as possible without reproducing the physical appearance of the
                    manuscript. Craik’s spelling, punctuation, underlining, superscripts,
                    abbreviations, additions and deletions are retained, except for words which are
                    hyphenated at the end of a line, which we have silently emended. Where Craik
                    uses a non-standard spelling, we have encoded both her spelling and the standard
                    Oxford English Dictionary spelling to facilitate searching. The long s is not
                    encoded. </p>
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                    <salute>My dear <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#BrodieHelen">Mrs.
                            Brodie</persName>
                    </salute>
                </opener>
                <p>One day last week I was in <placeName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#London"
                        >London</placeName> — where I scarcely ever go — &amp; I tried to get as far
                    as you — but failed half-way — It must have been the very day you were writing
                    to me. — I have had the busiest year possible — for between <date when="1869-01"
                        >January</date> &amp; <date when="1869-01">January</date> I have written <rs
                        type="title" corresp="CraikSiteIndex.xml#BraveLady" cert="high">a novel</rs>
                    — built a house — &amp; had a baby! — not in your way — but sent direct I think
                    from heaven to my comfort. — <date when="1868-01-01">Last New Year's</date>
                    morning there was picked up by <placeName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#BeckenhamChurch">Beckenham Church</placeName> — a
                    baby half-dead with cold — no clue whatever — (&amp; none has ever since been
                    found) to antecedents — It was a sweet little girlie — under a year old
                    apparently — &amp; having evidently been most carefully reared until deserted
                    thus. — I fetched her from the workhouse — &amp; after three weeks consideration
                    with <rs type="person" ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#CraikGeorge">my husband</rs>'s
                    consent took her for my own. — We christened her “<persName
                        ref="CraikSiteInde.xml#CraikDorothy">Dorothy</persName>” — “the gift of God”
                    — as truly she is — &amp; the sunshine of the house — so bright — so healthy —
                    so sweet-tempered. — She is fair — with big blue eyes — a fine head – lovely
                    little feet, hands &amp; ears. — Her feet are so tiny that she can't walk —
                    though in all else she is very forward — she says “<persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#CraikGeorge">papa</persName>” &amp; “<persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DMC">mama</persName>” — &amp; they are both awfully
                    fond of her. — <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DMC">Mama</persName> feels like
                    another woman now she has a baby of her own! — &amp; doesn't care a pin for any
                    antecedents that may turn up — She will be brought up as <persName
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#CraikDorothy">Miss Dorothy Craik</persName> — &amp;
                    in all human probability nothing will ever be heard of her parents — The penalty
                    for child-desertion is three year's imprisonment — &amp; to pay all expenses
                    since the child was found. — She had on a few clothes — very clean — but
                    evidently meant to destroy all identity — some very very fine — some coarse — no
                    frock — no shawl — she was nearly frozen to death — circles on her poor little
                    hands — Fancy the heart that left her there! — a child old enough almost to
                    talk. — Every night when <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DMC">her real
                        mama</persName> cuddles her up &amp; lays her down in her warm little bed —
                    she thanks God! — &amp; feels <hi rend="underline">sure</hi> God sent her her
                    little <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#CraikDorothy">Dorothy</persName>. — </p>
                <p> — Well — dear <persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#BrodieHelen">Helen</persName> —
                    here is my story — tell it to <rs type="person"
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#ChisholmWilliam">your father</rs> — &amp; <rs
                        type="person" ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#ChisholmMrs">mother</rs> — &amp; when
                    you return fix some day to come out — &amp; see my little lamb. And bring <rs
                        type="person">your boy</rs> — with whose Photo she was delighted — insisted
                    on giving it some of her dinner! — a sweet wee fellow — I am longing to see him.
                    — </p>
                <p>How to get to you I know not — my life is so busy — I hardly ever get away from
                    home for a day. — Kind regards to the <rs type="person"
                        ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#BrodieWilliam">good husband</rs> &amp; the cousins
                    &amp; <persName>Aunt Ann.</persName> — </p>
                <closer>And believe me always affectionately yours<lb/>
                    <signed><persName ref="CraikSiteIndex.xml#DMC">DMCraik — </persName></signed>
                </closer>
                <postscript>
                    <p><date when="1869-03-18">March 18<hi rend="superscript">th</hi><lb/> :1869 —
                        </date></p>
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Letter from Dinah Mulock Craik to Helen Brodie, 18 May 1869. Dinah Mulock Craik Karen Bourrier Dinah Mulock Craik: A Digital Archive University of Calgary Karen Bourrier Transcription July 2009 by Karen Bourrier Proofing of transcription May 2017 by Hannah Anderson TEI encoding April 2017 by Kailey Fukushima Proofing of TEI encoding May 2017 by Hannah Anderson First digital edition in TEI, date: May 2017. P5. Dinah Mulock Craik: A Digital Archive Calgary, Alberta, Canada 2017

Reproduced by courtesy of the National Library of Scotland.

Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License Dinah Mulock Craik: A Digital Archive National Library of Scotland Manuscripts Collections Division W. & R. Chambers Dep. 341 Letter from Dinah Mulock Craik to Helen Brodie, 18 May 1869. MS9754; Folio 136

Our aim in this edition has been to transcribe the content of the letters as accurately as possible without reproducing the physical appearance of the manuscript. Craik’s spelling, punctuation, underlining, superscripts, abbreviations, additions and deletions are retained, except for words which are hyphenated at the end of a line, which we have silently emended. Where Craik uses a non-standard spelling, we have encoded both her spelling and the standard Oxford English Dictionary spelling to facilitate searching. The long s is not encoded.

My dear Mrs. Brodie

One day last week I was in London — where I scarcely ever go — & I tried to get as far as you — but failed half-way — It must have been the very day you were writing to me. — I have had the busiest year possible — for between January & January I have written a novel — built a house — & had a baby! — not in your way — but sent direct I think from heaven to my comfort. — Last New Year's morning there was picked up by Beckenham Church — a baby half-dead with cold — no clue whatever — (& none has ever since been found) to antecedents — It was a sweet little girlie — under a year old apparently — & having evidently been most carefully reared until deserted thus. — I fetched her from the workhouse — & after three weeks consideration with my husband's consent took her for my own. — We christened her “Dorothy” — “the gift of God” — as truly she is — & the sunshine of the house — so bright — so healthy — so sweet-tempered. — She is fair — with big blue eyes — a fine head – lovely little feet, hands & ears. — Her feet are so tiny that she can't walk — though in all else she is very forward — she says “papa” & “mama” — & they are both awfully fond of her. — Mama feels like another woman now she has a baby of her own! — & doesn't care a pin for any antecedents that may turn up — She will be brought up as Miss Dorothy Craik — & in all human probability nothing will ever be heard of her parents — The penalty for child-desertion is three year's imprisonment — & to pay all expenses since the child was found. — She had on a few clothes — very clean — but evidently meant to destroy all identity — some very very fine — some coarse — no frock — no shawl — she was nearly frozen to death — circles on her poor little hands — Fancy the heart that left her there! — a child old enough almost to talk. — Every night when her real mama cuddles her up & lays her down in her warm little bed — she thanks God! — & feels sure God sent her her little Dorothy. —

— Well — dear Helen — here is my story — tell it to your father — & mother — & when you return fix some day to come out — & see my little lamb. And bring your boy — with whose Photo she was delighted — insisted on giving it some of her dinner! — a sweet wee fellow — I am longing to see him. —

How to get to you I know not — my life is so busy — I hardly ever get away from home for a day. — Kind regards to the good husband & the cousins & Aunt Ann. —

And believe me always affectionately yours DMCraik —

March 18th :1869 —

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Letter from Dinah Mulock Craik to Helen Brodie, 18 May 1869. Dinah Mulock Craik Karen Bourrier Dinah Mulock Craik: A Digital Archive University of Calgary Karen Bourrier Transcription July 2009 by Karen Bourrier Proofing of transcription May 2017 by Hannah Anderson TEI encoding April 2017 by Kailey Fukushima Proofing of TEI encoding May 2017 by Hannah Anderson First digital edition in TEI, date: May 2017. P5. Dinah Mulock Craik: A Digital Archive Calgary, Alberta, Canada 2017

Reproduced by courtesy of the National Library of Scotland.

Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License Dinah Mulock Craik: A Digital Archive National Library of Scotland Manuscripts Collections Division W. & R. Chambers Dep. 341 Letter from Dinah Mulock Craik to Helen Brodie, 18 May 1869. MS9754; Folio 136

Our aim in this edition has been to transcribe the content of the letters as accurately as possible without reproducing the physical appearance of the manuscript. Craik’s spelling, punctuation, underlining, superscripts, abbreviations, additions and deletions are retained, except for words which are hyphenated at the end of a line, which we have silently emended. Where Craik uses a non-standard spelling, we have encoded both her spelling and the standard Oxford English Dictionary spelling to facilitate searching. The long s is not encoded.

My dear Mrs. Brodie

One day last week I was in London — where I scarcely ever go — & I tried to get as far as you — but failed half-way — It must have been the very day you were writing to me. — I have had the busiest year possible — for between January & January I have written a novel — built a house — & had a baby! — not in your way — but sent direct I think from heaven to my comfort. — Last New Year's morning there was picked up by Beckenham Church — a baby half-dead with cold — no clue whatever — (& none has ever since been found) to antecedents — It was a sweet little girlie — under a year old apparently — & having evidently been most carefully reared until deserted thus. — I fetched her from the workhouse — & after three weeks consideration with my husband's consent took her for my own. — We christened her “Dorothy” — “the gift of God” — as truly she is — & the sunshine of the house — so bright — so healthy — so sweet-tempered. — She is fair — with big blue eyes — a fine head – lovely little feet, hands & ears. — Her feet are so tiny that she can't walk — though in all else she is very forward — she says “papa” & “mama” — & they are both awfully fond of her. — Mama feels like another woman now she has a baby of her own! — & doesn't care a pin for any antecedents that may turn up — She will be brought up as Miss Dorothy Craik — & in all human probability nothing will ever be heard of her parents — The penalty for child-desertion is three year's imprisonment — & to pay all expenses since the child was found. — She had on a few clothes — very clean — but evidently meant to destroy all identity — some very very fine — some coarse — no frock — no shawl — she was nearly frozen to death — circles on her poor little hands — Fancy the heart that left her there! — a child old enough almost to talk. — Every night when her real mama cuddles her up & lays her down in her warm little bed — she thanks God! — & feels sure God sent her her little Dorothy. —

— Well — dear Helen — here is my story — tell it to your father — & mother — & when you return fix some day to come out — & see my little lamb. And bring your boy — with whose Photo she was delighted — insisted on giving it some of her dinner! — a sweet wee fellow — I am longing to see him. —

How to get to you I know not — my life is so busy — I hardly ever get away from home for a day. — Kind regards to the good husband & the cousins & Aunt Ann. —

And believe me always affectionately yours DMCraik —

March 18th :1869 —