Christian and Mary Schlegel Miller, 15 March 1852

When Christian finally summons her for the wedding, he insists that she come alone, perhaps to hide the fact that he is not yet a Catholic and they are to be married in an Episcopal church. She spends the night before the final train trip weeping into Katie’s shoulder. Katie, the baby, the sister with whom she has always had the strongest bond, strokes her head and makes soothing noises, even as Katie needs to catch her own tears at the looming separation. Rolf sees her off at the station, bringing his wedding gift to her of Shakespeare’s collected sonnets, gripping her hand to tell her all the things that will never be said. The wedding is attended by two people she has never met before, acquaintances of Christian’s. Much later, when Mary examines the image made on her wedding day, she sees the story of her marriage written there: Christian, dark eyes hard and resolute, lips drawn downward, a possessive hand on her shoulder; Mary, gazing out at something no one else can see, resigned, bereft.

Christian, Mary, Emma, and Little Mary Miller, Spring/Summer 1857

Christian Miller, far right, with fellow medical students, Columbian College, c. 1858

Mary Miller and Lillie Beck

Tuesday July 28th, 1896: Baby is one year old today. I went out in the garden after dinner with baby, and gave her some beautiful sweet peas, pink and pure white. I then took her around to the front porch where her grandmamma and cousin Lil were sitting. Baby put the flowers to cousin Lil’s nose for her to smell, but held tightly to them. Cousin Lil tried to coax baby to give her the sweet peas but she would not. She would pucker up her little nose and mouth and sniff and hold the flowers out for Lil to smell, and said as plain as words, you can smell them but you can not have them. Lil then said to her, won’t you give them to Grandma? She immediately opened her little hand and with the other she took one pink flower and held it toward her grand-ma. Lil then said, won’t you give them all to Grandma? Then she held all out to her, as much as to say, you can have them, but she would not give them to Lil. Don’t you think that was cute? We all thought so.

Saturday, May 8th, 1897: today is a beautiful bright May day. Grandma is 64 years old.

Friday, March 28th, 1902: Baby and grandma are great chums, and they read, tell one another stories & riddles, have a good time generally.