Letter from Consider Willett to Mary Willett, April 1, 1864
Courtesy of Judy and Willett Gorham
Courtesy of Judy and Willett Gorham
Cousin Mary,
I do not know that I can keep up the old-fashioned, fun making custom of April Fool's day any better or in a more worthy way than by surprising you with my long delayed letter. I shall attempt no excuses for not giving you a prompt reply for I could only flimsily explain my long waiting. TOday I have tried (until now) not to resume my boyish freaks of fooling people on this anniversary, but my efforts, as often is the case, were sadly misinterpreted ---
You see, we had engaged a kid to be roasted for us and it so happened that it was brought us for supper (or 5oclock dinner) on Apr. 1st. I innocently sent a note to Capt. Wilder and to Lt. Southworth, inviting them to come to my tent after dress parade to eat kid. It seems that they have been practising many jokes all day so they took my invatation as a joke, consequently I gave verbal invitations to others who came to partake of good things -- just as we had satisfied our keen appetites, who but the two self-fooled officers should appear and slinking into a seat sorely declare "Wee we have been sold!" We had a good laugh and they are to comfort their stomachs by eating breakfast from "the basket of fragments."
We are still in tents yet as the new barracks will not be completed in two or three weeks. Four companies are to go into it the rest having been provided for elsewhere. It is very pleasant here and the hot weather does not excite any fears. Every thing speaks of the tropical character of the place, century plants, cactus of every variety, bananas, limes, lemons, oranges, cocoanuts and a multitude that are strange to me, abound here in profusion. I will send you some lemon leaves and flowers if I have time to go and get them. We have a great variety and number of shells here. I will send you some dimunitive specimens. Shell work, so much admired by women, could be easily made here as we have the finest materials for such purposes. I am picking up a great many queer animals and putting them in alcohol, so I hope to become something of a naturalist by and by.
We are more quiet here than you can easily imagine -- boats put in the harbor here but they do not molest us or we them.
I should like to call on you in Washington and to have heard some of the national debating which undoubtedly you listened to last winter. Please do not discard me as unworthy of an occasional letter from you. I remain your sincere and loving cousin.
I will send you a poor photograph as Key West has no good artists. Give my respects to Gor, Jim, Gil, and to Abram's people.
Note: Gordon, Jim, and Abram Willett were brothers, first cousins of Consider Willett. Gordon was Mary Willett's husband. Gilbert Sesions was Mary's cousin
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