Kit's Letter

  Kit’s Letter

                          By: John Son

Dear Mr.Smith,

      I have lots to tell you. But first, how are you? How’s class? Did you finally get your dog checked out yet? I wish I could go back to school where you are. But anyway, I have made my way to America. It hasn’t been quite as interesting as I expected, sadly. I’ve met lots of people here in America. I’ve met Nat Eaton (the captain’s son,) Captain Eaton (the captain of the ship for the Dolphin,) Mistress Eaton (the captain’s wife,) John Holbrook (a young man who will study to become a Puritan minister,) Goodwife Cruff (a mean, narrow minded women,) Prudence (Goodwife Cruff’s daughter,) Rachel Wood (My aunt/ my mom’s sister,) Matthew Wood (my austere uncle) Judith (my cousin, very pretty but can be a bit brash,) Mercy (my other cousin, she is crippled but kind,) Hannah Tupper (an old widow/ woman who lives on the edge of Blackbird Pond,) Dr. Bulkely (a minister/ academic who John Holbrook comes to Wethersfield to study with,) and Mr. Kimberly (the Puritan school master in Wethersfield.) I’ve been through lots of weird things lately.  So first, I saw a little girl drop her precious doll in the river. I thought that Goodwife Cruff would atleast attempt to help get her daughter’s precious doll, but no she didn’t. So I got really mad watching what just happened, so I jumped in the water and saved Prudence’s doll and swam out, and BOOM! They think I’m a witch! Like this is a really weird place. Then, after what just happened, I went my way to Wethersfield to live with my cousins. The trip has not been fun, on a 43-mile voyage, it took 9 days to get to our destination! “If it weren’t for John Holbrook I couldn’t bear it, I thought to myself. He’s the only one on this ship who doesn’t seem to begrudge my existence. He doesn’t mind the delay, either. I believe he’s actually grateful for it.”(17) I don’t understand why it’s a big deal that I can swim and float. These beliefs and religions are really starting to confuse me. I just don’t understand.

I’m really starting to regret moving to America, but I realize that it’s my only choice. But anyway, after I arrived at Wethersfield, I finally met my aunt, uncle, and cousins. I haven't seen my aunt for a while. When I knocked on their door, my aunt answered and she was shocked. “Margaret! The word was no more than a whisper. For a moment the two women stared at each other. Then realization swept over Kit. No Aunt Rachel! I cried. Don’t look like that! It is me, Kit! I am Margaret’s daughter. Kit? You mean-can it possibly be Katherine Tyler?” (30) Yes it is me. My aunt was full of joy, she called my uncle and cousins to come. My cousins were happy, but my uncle didn’t seem as much. I don’t know why he doesn’t seem happy, but I rather not interfere with what is going on inside his personal life. I brought my 7 trunks filled with all my clothing. “Have you had breakfast? I guess not. I hadn’t even thought of it. Then ‘tis lucky we are eating a late breakfast, she said.” (33) “Have some cornbread, my dear. ‘Twas was baked fresh yesterday, and there is new butter. Surprisingly, the bread tasted delicious, though of a course texture like nothing I have ever tasted before.” (34) He asked me why I brought so many trunks?”I have not come for a visit sir, I answered. I have come to stay.” (35)  They gasped. They couldn’t believe it. They were very confused. Aunt Rachel asked me why I didn’t write to them first? I didn’t write to you because if I wrote to you, I was worried that you would reject it, and I just had to come. And I also did not want to marry a wealthy old man, it just wasn’t right. My aunt was more than welcome for me to stay but my uncle wasn’t really excited as Aunt Rachel was. I then overheard my aunt and cousin, Judith, talking about why do I have to share a room with her, and why it couldn’t have been a boy to help Uncle Matthew with work/chores. I got really upset and ran up to our room and cried in my pillow. While at night when everyone was sleeping I heard a terrifying noise coming from outside, I woke up Judith asking what that was in fear, and she told me that it was just one little wolf, and she went on saying just wait till you hear a bunch of them. I was scared, but I managed to sleep through the night.

When June arrived, me and Judith went down to work at the onion field. On our way I saw a little house near a pond. Judith told me that that was the Widow Tupper she was talking about. Her real name was Hannah Tupper. Judith told me that during floods she would disappear and after the flood, she would come back, it was really weird. A person named William Ashby started visiting every Saturday, and I was started to get bored by his visits, so I started a new hobby, knitting. Mercy told me about their family history. Aunt Rachel and Uncle Matthew had two boys. One of them died by a fever I also had. Sadly, he died, but I stayed alive. The other boy got baptised, but soon passed away. I now realize why Uncle Matthew looks stressed out and how Aunt Rachel seems very tired. I felt bad about what happened, so I will try my best to help out. I finally had an opportunity. I got to teach little kids to read. I tried to rhyme words so the kids could sort of understand better. I then thought of a great idea. I decided that I should read a lesson from the Bible and let the kids act it out. But it didn’t turn out as well as I thought it would turn out. The most foolish boys started to slap each other and it was crazy. So when Mr. Kimberly and John came for a visit, they were mad. Mr.Kimberly was mad the fact that they were reading from the Bible and the fact they were play-acting. Mr.Kimberly told the kids to not come to school tomorrow and also me. Mercy took blame of what happened, and I saw Mercy starting to tear. I couldn’t stand watching Mercy cry, so I ran away somewhere far, and I ended up at the Meadow. I fell asleep and when I woke up, I heard a voice coming from somewhere. It was Hannah Tupper. She told me that it was the right thing to do to come here. She took me inside and gave me water to wash up and some food to eat. I asked her how long she lived here? She didn’t know but she told me that her and her husband walked here from Massachusetts because the Quakers were starting to get arrested and executed for branding people and they had to escape which they did. She also told me that her and her husband had no where to live so her husband made them a little house that they could live in. But soon her husband died, sadly. I told her that i’m also not use to living here, i’m not use to working this hard because i’m from Barbados. Hannah was surprised that I was from Barbados. But then she told me to follow her, so I did and she showed me an “African plant” that didn’t grew here, she told me that her friend gave it to her. What Hannah told me about the flower gave me the answer to my problem. I told Hannah that I had to go. And this is what happened so far in my journey in America, Mr.Smith. Hope you could write me back soon.

From, Kit Tyler