Welcome to Novel PASTimes! We are pleased you stopped by today.
Tell us something about where you live:
Thank you for inviting me. I was born on a farm near Bloomington, Illinois, but we moved to town when Papa took a job at the carriage shop. I hated to move away from my best friend, Jubilee Walker, who lived on a neighboring farm, but we continued to go to school together and maintain our friendship. I grew up in a house my father built, and completed my basic education at public school. After high school, I was planning to live at home and attend Illinois State Normal University to gain training as a teacher. But events transpired that caused me to change my plans. I made a difficult decision to leave home, and the comfort of my friends and family, to move to Poughkeepsie, New York, where I currently reside as I continue my education.
Is there anything special about your name? Why do you think you were given that name?
My Christian name is Cornelia—Cornelia Mae Boswell. I was named in honor of my mother’s mother, who died before I was born. Thankfully, my parents didn’t care much more for the name than I do, and they’ve always called me Nelly.
Do you have an occupation? What do you like or dislike about your work?
I am a student at Vassar College, studying for a career in the literary arts. I love the intellectual challenge of my studies and the feeling of accomplishment I gain from meeting those challenges. I’ve gained a much broader and clearer understanding of issues in our society, and I’ve made the acquaintance of inspiring people. But being so far away from the people I love is difficult. At times, the freedom of being away from my family and Jubil is a guilty pleasure, but at other times, I desperately miss their love and the ease and comfort of being with them.
Who are the special people in your life?
My family foremost, but Jubilee Walker also feels like family. He and I were best friends throughout our childhood, then as we grew older, our friendship deepened. Now that we are adults, our relationship has gotten complicated, but we care very much for each other. Lily Warner, the wife of Jubil’s business partner, is a mentor to me and an important influence. And her sister, Professor Maria Mitchell, is my chaperone and benefactor while I am at college. She introduced me to her friend, Mrs. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who has also become a friend and mentor, as well as my inspiration in the struggle for women’s social equity.
What’s your family like? Do you have brothers and sisters?
I have twin brothers who are two years younger than me. They are annoying! They are identical twins, but easy to tell apart—Ike has good sense, and Eli does not—but they are an inseparable team. The boys are loud, overly energetic, clever to a fault, and determined not to let their elder sister rule the roost. My father can be opinionated and overbearing, but my mother reminds me that I take after him. She deserves a sainthood for her efforts as a peacekeeper and shepherd to such a rowdy flock. I love them all dearly.
What is your heart’s deepest desire?
To be in control of my own destiny and circumstances. To live a life filled with accomplishment and exciting experiences. Hopefully, to find someone to share love and life with.
What are you most afraid of?
That I will be forced to live in a way that goes against my nature. That I’ll live a dull life and accomplish little, and that my convictions will drive love away. I also harbor a deep concern that I will lose Jubil to some fatal event while he is on one of his adventures, but I accept that he must live his life as he chooses.
Are you harboring a grudge against anyone, and why or why not?
You could say I harbor a grudge against males in general—at least those who feel that women should remain subordinate to men and live without the same social rights and status that they enjoy. For example, I find it difficult not to resent my father for his efforts to control my life. He insists that I live according to his wishes, regardless of my own interests and my own will. His viewpoints are widely shared today, but times are changing, and people should change with them. I was also upset for a time with Jubil for upending our marriage plans, but that turned out to be a blessing in disguise for me, so I am no longer holding that grudge.
Do you have a cherished possession?
Ever since childhood, I have maintained a journal of my experiences, thoughts, and feelings. My brothers got into my writings once, but my parent put a firm end to that before it became a habit. I also have a beautiful pair of beaded moccasins given to me by Jubil. He brought them back following one of his Colorado expeditions with Major John Wesley Powell. I wear them almost every evening, and they remind me of him and of home.
What dreams do you have for your future?
I want a career, to be able to support myself financially and to live wherever I choose. I’d like to be recognized for my talents, though I am not entirely sure yet what those are. I would like to be a writer, but I am not sure yet whether I would be a better journalist or novelist. I am quite willing to accept a position with a publishing business until I find my literary wings. I also have romantic dreams, but I feel those will have to be fulfilled after my career ambitions have been realized.
Is there anything you’re afraid people might find out about you?
Not really. I have no deep dark secrets. I suppose I do have a phobia about people discovering my first name, and deciding to use it publicly.
What have you learned about yourself in the course of your story?
That I am willing to stand up for myself and do what I must to be an independent woman in the world and to fight for the same rights and opportunities as any male.
Is there anything else you’d like people to know about you?
Despite my very feminine appearance and demeanor, I am quite capable on horseback, and not at all squeamish about the outdoors.
Thanks for allowing us to get know you a little better!
Tim Piper is retired from a long career in Information Technology and has been a lifelonghobbyist musician. In his earlier days he was an avid hiker and backcountry camper, but his adventures these days are less strenuous and more comfortable. He began his education at Illinois State University as an English major, but life circumstances put him on a more pragmatic path, and he graduated with a BS in Business Admin, a degree he finds appropriately named. He lives in Bloomington, Illinois. You can stay in touch with him at www.timpiper-author.com or follow him on Facebook.
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