Monday evening - This afternoon Mrs Juliand and myself have been with Mr. Deveroux
to see the sisters of Charity they are something similar to nuns but take the vows
annually and are at liberty to leave when they chose ^choose^ that is at the termination
of each year- 2 were engaged in keeping a charity school and 2
in teaching other schools for which they receive compensation - the scholars
in the latter were making bead bags - purses &c — The sisters were all
dressed in black of rather a coarse texture made without much fulness
any where a close black silk cap on their heads which gives them a
very singular appearance - but they all looked intelligent and contented-
We then went to the Catholick Church which is prettily built and at
present decorated with evergreens - there is a recess in the centre of
which there is something built in the form of a pulpit I think called the altar
of Sacrifice on the top of this is a figure in wax of our Saviour
on the cross - the figure is in miniature not benig being much larger than
a doll — In the confession room was another figure of the same kind
in the same situation but much smaller this appeared to be wood gilded —
I did not like these representations. I cannot tell why but they inspired me
me with totally different sensations from those produced by seeing Dunlaps
picture of Christ Rejected — it seemed to me like profanation these little
miniature representations —perhaps without reason- After we left
the Church Henry and I went down to Salters in South Market Street
to do some shopping and the remainder of our party went home - I was
in pursuit of a dress for the 22 - nothing is talked of now but the 22^d
tis said that ^expected^ from the preparations that it will be the most splendid ball
ever given here — My card came the other day it is about the size of two
playing cards, straw coloured a full length engraving of Washington — 30
managers - 10 members of the Legislature - among which are Granger
Birdsall, Mc Lean, & Livingston — tis to be in the City Hall — I believe I
told you this was a new building at the foot of Washington Street — Well I
looked at all of Salters pretty things which are almost innumerable among
others ball dresses at 20 - and 40 dollars Cloud gauze and Lace —
I purchased a lilac crape and a white silk under dress - I think I shall
have it made with short sleeves - Coming home we stopped at Henry Webbs
Store to see the pretty things there - got warm and then climbed the hill
found ourselves pretty cold when we got home — This evening we have received
an invitation to a party of the Misses Mancius tomorrow evening — shall
go if all are well — Trummy Cary is getting better — Mrs Cary's face is con -
siderably shortened Wednesday morning — I did not write any last night
because I came home from the party sick with the headache — yesterday
morning just as I had written my note accepting the Misses Mancius invitation
an invitation ar[ ri ] ved from Mrs Chancellor Walworth- Of course I could not
go there — Mr Beardsley returned Monday night with a beautiful sleigh and horse &
a black man for driver - so yesterday Mrs B invited us all to ride — Mrs Juliand
and I went with her to call on Mr William James — did not see Mrs James — then
Mrs Juliand and I were left at Rufus King’ and Mr and Mrs B- rode home
the distance was so shorth short we preferred walking — Mrs King was home - I like her
much—she was formerly a Miss Laverty of New York - has been married 7 years —
After dinner not feeling well I went to bed - did not get up until tea time &
then felt sick and low spirited and considered not to go to Mancius - but Henry
persuaded me to go & proposed getting a sleigh - but I thought it was so pleasant I
would walk — We came home at ten - I was sorry I went - my head ached all
the evening - there were but two married ladies beside myself invited - all the rest
young flirts as Henry said — I soon got tired of looking at them — the Miss Bowers
were there — Such a display [ a ] s they make — their dancing is really indelicate
young Clinton asked me if [ I ] admired the Miss Bowers manner of dancing - I told
him “of course " as it was f[ as ] hionable I supposed - he said he doubted that as
the Albanians did not get their fashions usually from Cooperstown - he was
evidently disgusted — The Waltzing was a novelty to me - beside being indelicate
it is the silliest dance I ever saw no more sense or grace about it than
in the play we used to have of taking each others hands, putting our feet against
each other and twirling around as swiftly as possible - Miss Carpenter the fattest
mantaumaker I ever saw came and measured me for my dress last evening
before I went — Your own Sis Frances

Single
Mrs Alvah Worden
Auburn
ALBANY
FEB 15