Chester and Grace: The Real American Tragedy

5/2/06- LOVINGLY, THE KID


IT HAD BEEN NEARLY THREE WEEKS SINCE GRACE BROWN RETURNED TO HER FAMILY'S FARM IN SOUTH OTSELIC, N.Y. THERE WAS SCARCELY ANY WORD FROM HER LOVER CHESTER GILLETTE, WHO WAS IN CORTLAND TRYING TO RAISE MONEY FOR A SECRET TRIP THAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO TAKE TO PROTECT HER DARK SECRET: THAT SHE WAS PREGNANT WITH HIS CHILD AND NEITHER ONE WAS MARRIED. SHE HAD WRITTEN TEN LETTERS TO HIM, IN ADDITION TO PHONING HIM AT HIS JOB AT THE GILLETTE SKIRT FACTORY, WHICH WAS OWNED BY HIS UNCLE. IN THAT TIME, SHE HAD RECEIVED ONLY THREE RESPONSES FROM HIM AND HIS PLANS FOR THE TRIP ARE STILL VAGUE TO HER AND SHE WAS GETTING REALLY DESPERATE.

FINALLY, SHE COULD NOT WAIT ANY LONGER. ON THURSDAY EVENING, JULY 5, 1906, GRACE WROTE WHAT MAY BE CONSIDERED THE MOST FAMOUS LOVE LETTER EVER WRITTEN IN HUMAN HISTORY. THIS WAS HER FINAL LETTER TO CHESTER. FOR HER, IT WAS DO OR DIE. SHE HOPED THAT THIS TIME, HE WOULD TAKE ACTION AND FINALIZE PLANS FOR THEIR TRIP TOGETHER. HOPEFULLY, IT WOULD BE A WEDDING TRIP.

IN THIS LETTER, GRACE APPARANTLY WAS FEELING NOSTALGIC BECAUSE SHE SPENT THAT DAY LOOKING BACK ON THE PEOPLE, PLACES, AND THINGS THAT MADE HER LIFE IN SOUTH OTSELIC MEMORABLE BECAUSE SHE KNEW THAT SHE WAS GOING TO LEAVE ANYWAY. BY THE TIME SHE WROTE THAT LETTER, HER LIFE WAS AT THE CROSSROADS. WOULD SHE BE LEAVING TOWN TO START A NEW LIFE WITH CHESTER, POSSIBLY MARRIED TO HIM AND HAVE THEIR BABY TOGETHER? OR WOULD SHE COMMIT SUICIDE, AS WAS THE CUSTOM AMONG VICTORIAN-ERA WOMEN WHO FOUND THEMSELVES PREGNANT AND ALONE? THE LETTER CONTAINED THE MOST REFERENCES TO DEATH AND SUICIDE THAN IN ANY OF THE OTHER ONES THAT SHE HAD WRITTEN, AND IT WAS EXPLOITED BY CHESTER'S DEFENSE ATTORNEYS AT THE TRIAL LATER ON.

THE LETTER IS FAMOUS FOR THE FOLLOWING PASSAGE:

"I HAVE BEEN BIDDING GOODBYE TO SOME PLACES TODAY. THERE ARE SO MANY NOOKS, DEAR, AND ALL OF THEM ARE SO DEAR TO ME. I HAVE LIVED HERE NEARLY ALL OF MY LIFE. FIRST, I SAID GOODBYE TO THE SPRING HOUSE WITH ITS GREAT MASSES OF GREEN MOSS, THEN THE APPLE TREE WHERE WE HAD OUR PLAY HOUSE, THEN THE "BEEHIVE," A CUTE LITTLE HOUSE IN THE ORCHARD, AND OF COURSE ALL OF THE NEIGHBORS WHO HAVE MENDED MY DRESSES FROM A LITTLE TOT UP TO SAVE ME A THRASHING I REALLY DESERVED. OH! DEAR, YOU DON'T REALIZE WHAT ALL OF THIS IS TO ME. I KNOW I SHALL NEVER SEE ANY OF THEM AGAIN..."

IN THE LETTER, GRACE URGED CHESTER TO MEET HER IN THE TOWN OF DE RUYTER, TEN MILES FROM HER HOME. SHE EVEN PERSUADED HIM TO TAKE A TRAIN UP FROM CORTLAND THAT SUNDAY NIGHT, WHICH WAS JULY 8TH. THAT WAS EXACTLY WHAT HE DID.

FOUR DAYS LATER, GRACE LEFT SOUTH OTSELIC FOR THE LAST TIME. LITTLE WOULD ITS INHABITANTS KNOW THAT A WEEK LATER, SHE WOULD RETURN HOME UNDER VERY TRAGIC CIRCUMSTANCES.