The Contented Working Family at Sunnyside

In a letter to Miss Emily Campbell, W. C. White described the situation at Sunnyside:4BIO 261.1

Mother is comfortably located in her new house, and has the best corps of workers that has ever been grouped around her.4BIO 261.2

Sister Davis is working on the “Life of Christ,” and smaller books which will come out in connection with it. Sister Burnham is working on Christian Temperance, and articles for the papers. Sister Maggie Hare is working on letters and articles for the papers. Sister May Israel divides her time between bookkeeping and copying for Miss Davis. Sister Belden is housekeeper, with Edith Ward as assistant. Sister Lucas is dressmaker, and Minnie Hawkins has just begun regular work as copyist for Miss Burnham, and to learn other lines of the work. Brother M. A. Cornell is man of all work, with Edgar Hollingsworth as assistant and chore boy.4BIO 261.3

Mother is getting along nicely with her book work, and I am more and more thankful that she is located in a quiet place, where she will not be so much interrupted as heretofore.—9 WCW, p. 503.4BIO 261.4

She closely watched agricultural developments. As summer wore on, she was able to write on February 3 of the garden, which she reported was doing well. She added:4BIO 261.5

We have the testimony that with care taken of the trees and vegetables in the dry season, we shall have good results. Our trees are doing well.... I can testify by experience that false witness has been borne of this land. On the school ground, they have tomatoes, squashes, potatoes, and melons.... We know the land will do well with proper care.—Letter 10, 1896.4BIO 261.6

There was also the flower garden. On February 10 she got up at half past four, and at five o'clock was at work “spading up the ground and preparing to set out my flowers. I worked one hour alone, then Edith Ward and Ella May White united with me, and we planted our flowers.”—Manuscript 62, 1896. Then followed the setting out of twenty-eight tomato plants. The bell ringing for morning prayers and breakfast brought these activities to a close. In her diary she wrote: “I think I have received no harm from my vigorous exercise, but feel better for the work done.” She added, “After breakfast I read manuscript—two short chapters on the life of Christ.”—Ibid. In fact, she was devoting a good deal of time to her last reading of the finished chapters that would soon be sent to the publishers. The next morning she was in the orchard, “tying up the trees. A tuft of grass is put between the stake and the trees so that the tree shall not be marred.”—Ibid.4BIO 261.7