Letter 248 (early 1862? - Franklin: spring 1861) Master [unknown] Emily Dickinson

Oh - did I offend it - [Did'nt it want me to tell it the truth] Daisy - Daisy - offend it - who bends her smaller life to his (it's) meeker (lower) every day - who only asks - a task - who something to do for love of it - some little way she cannot guess to make that master glad -

A love so big it scares her, rushing among her small heart - pushing aside the blood and leaving her (all) faint and white in the gust's arm -

Daisy - who never flinched thro' that awful parting - but held her life so tight he should not see the wound - who would have sheltered him in her childish bosom (Heart) - only it was'nt big eno' for a Guest so large -

This Daisy - grieve her Lord - and yet it (she) often blundered - perhaps she grieved (grazed) his taste - perhaps her odd - Backwoodsman [life] ways [troubled] teased her finer sense (nature) - Daisy [bea] knows all that - but must she go unpardoned - teach her grace - (preceptor) teach her majesty - Slow (Dull) at patrician things - Even the wren upon her nest learns (knows) more than Daisy dares -

Low at the knee that bore her once unto [royal] wordless rest, [now - she] Daisy [stoops a] kneels, a culprit - tell her her [offence] fault - Master - if it is [not so] small eno' to cancel with her life, [Daisy] she is satisfied - but punish [do not] dont banish her - Shut her in prison - Sir - only pledge that you will forgive - sometime - before the grave, and Daisy will not mind - she will awake in his your likeness.

Wonder stings me more than the Bee - who did never sting me - but made gay music with his might wherever I [may] [should] did go - Wonder wastes my pound, you said I had no size to spare -

You send the water over the Dam in my brown eyes -

I've got a cough as big as a thimble - but I dont care for that - I've got a Tomahawk in my side but that dont hurt me much, [If you] Her Master stabs her more -

Wont he come to her - or will he let her seek him, never minding [whatever] so long wandering [out] if to him at last.

Oh how the sailor strains, when his boat is filling - Oh how the dying tug, till the angel comes. Master - open your life wide, and take me in forever, I will never be tired - I will never be noisy when you want to be still - I will be [glad as the] your best little girl - nobody else will see me, but you - but that is enough - I shall not want any more - and all that Heaven (only) will [prove] disappoint me - (because) will be it's not so dear