Henrietta Fawcett Gauss- 1864-09-19

St. Charles    February 22nd 1864

Dear Henry
                    Two or more weeks since I commenced a letter to you but was prevented at the time from finishing it, & concluded as you were in my deptt to wait untill you wrote, & then I found you were very busy prepareing for the exhibition, & thought I would excuse you & not wait any longer.
                    Henry I hope it is not necessary for me to say that I am interested for you, & sympathize with you, in whatever pertains to your welfare here & hereafter.   I congratulate you on the change in your views or rather feelings, on the all important subject of religion.  I was truly glad to learn that you had a hope, that you are a "new creature in christ!" -- It is a source of great Thankfulness with your father & Mother, to our Heavenly parent, that you have been led to love & try to obey him, your father, you know is always anxious about his children, but nothing of a worldly nature has cost any of that intense anxiety that the lack of interest on the subject of religion has.  He was not only unhappy on your account, but was fearful he had failed in his duty, had not trained you all up in a proper way, & should you be lost the fault or guilt would lie at his door, -- And when your Mother read Oscar's letter informing them of the state of your Mind, She said she would rather hear that you had become a steadfast Christian than that you had fallen heir to the greatest possessions on earth, & now, they have your a fellow traveler on the road to zion.  They seem to be overflowing with gratitued to the Father of all our Mercies, -- How shortsighted we poor creatures are, I recollect well what a trial it was to your father & Mother, to send you to St. Louis, to be exposed to temptation & evils of the city.  But if you are kept in the fear of God, & guided by his Holy Spirit, They will regard your removeal to that place, a great Blessing, & we all, shall ever feel grateful to you kind aunt, Oscar & Mary, for kindness & interest Manifested for you heretofore as well as just now.
                How is Uncas?  I hope restored to his usual health.-- How Thankful to learn I should be, that he had been aroused to the importance of his eternal interests.   I hope you will use every Means to prevail on him to attend those meeting appointed for the young.  You will feel diffident I have no doubt & think your attainments small, & that you are too young to counsel others, But Henry, you have seen the better-way, & believe your happiness both here & here after depends on walking in that road, urge him to join you, perhaps you might have more influence than an older person, -- My love to Uncas & tell him Mr. Watson was here last week & left all well at the Dardenne.
     We had communion yesterday, Mr. Farris had no assistance, conducted all the services, & made them interesting & I hope profitable, we regreted the girls could not remain untill after Sabbath -- we sympathize you all in the prospect of loosing Louis so soon, She seems to me to be that kind affectionate sort of person, that you become attached to very readily, & know that she will be missed greatly -- I have just received the invitation to your exhibition, for which I am much obliged, & should like very much to attenc, but it is not convenient for me to go now.  I think if it were not for Albert your Mother would go, & as we learned by today's paper -- that the Exhibition will be postponed, perhaps your father will be able to get down.  he received some papers to day from Washington, connected with the Bank business, that releives his mind very much,  I hope he will be able to have a meeting this evening of the directors & get things arranged tosuit him, then he will go with some satisfaction & stay all night but he did not tell you mother that he expected to go.
                                When are you coming Home?  It seemes a long time since you were here, --- Give my love to your Aunt, Uncle, Oscar Mary (& Lu if she is with you yet somehow I feel as if she had not gone) And to Charlie & Mary, & the little folks, Joe, Lue & Addie.
                                We hope you will get through your oration, & all the excercises, to your intire satisfaction , & That nothing may occur to disappoint your expectations, or Mar your pleasure throughout the Exhibition,  You will think I began at the wrong end of my paper, an accident happened the last page & I was to lazy to copy the whole of the letter, -- Sister intends answering your letter very soon.  we are all well, write as soon as you get rested after your Exhibition, They all send their love & say you must come home very soon,

ever your affectionate Aunt Gee

 

Virginia Fawcett was known to the Gauss children as Aunt Gee or Aunt G.