Sunday 22^d –
My Dear Henry, I received an an unfinished letter of yours
on Friday evening in the midst of a visit from E. Horner
her brother James, and George Wood – I was very glad of
an apology to withdraw from the room for a short time
I call your letter unfinished because you say you intended
to write more but did not – The next evening just after
Pa and Burgess returned from Homer almost frozen Peter
came in with a large packet of letters and papers and
handed me one saying it was for me but unfortunately
Pa’s name was on the outside and I was greviously disappoint-
ted – beside it was your writing and I was a little vexed
that you could find time to write to him and none for me
I set down at the table in not very good humour “nursing
my wrath to keep it warm” – and imagining what naughty
things I should say in my next letter – Pa by this time
had succeeded in opening the packet sent by Mr Steele and
took out my letter after turning it over a number of
times and reading the direction on the outside about the
books he handed it to me – my ill humor all vanished as
soon as I saw it and I reproached myself as I have a
thousand times before for my evil imaginings – I sent
the next morning for the novels but they had not arrived
last evening Peter Miller brought over Cyril Thornton and Zillah
he said Morgan left them in his care at Bacon’s – I
conclude you did not send the others – I could hardly refrain

from commencing them immediately but it was Saturday night –
Do not think me selfish my Dear Henry if I say I am disappointed
about the portrait – I wished you to have a miniature painted
for me and me alone one that I could always have with
me when absent from you – when you are from home or I
am absent your time is always occupied by business or
society – the case is different with me at home or abroad
I always have some solitary hours and then you cannot
imagine how dear to me would be a likeness of the kind I wish –
I hope you take good care of yourself this very cold weather
if you are travelling I am sure you must suffer what a
quantity of snow! it has snowed here three for four days Pa
had a very unpleasant time when he went to Homer – Burgess
froze one of his ears – Clary and Maria e have gone to church
it was so cold I did not venture – Augustus says he
is going to New York to see his Pa and coming, back again
to see Ma he thinks it would be a very pleasant excursion
on his broom – We heard of the death of old Mr Hatch yesterday
(Thoops step father) he died of the pleurisy was sick only four
days. Do tell me something about the papers that you
have lost – did you not leave them at Utica when you
opened the trunk to take out the others? I am sorry we did
not put them all in one side and put something over them
they would have been much safer – will it be any material
injury to your business – Give my love to Jennings – does he go
home when you do – or do you go first to New Jersey – Take good
care of your health and come home as soon as you can
your own Frances –

William Henry Seward Esq –
at Albany
To the car of Julius Rhoades Esq –
AUBURN
N.Y.
FEB
23
hF. A. Seward