Sunday night 10 oclock
My dearest Sister, I commence a letter at this late hour
because it is the first hour of leisure I have had to day and I
am unwilling to let the day pass without beginning a letter –
We were hurried to get through breakfast and prepare for
Church before ten oclock – Henry and I went with our two boys
Gus sported his new frock coat and made a very respec-
table looking young man very nearly as large as his father –
After Church Mr and Mrs Spencer came round as usual and
kept our dinner waiting an hour – the afternoon was soon
consumed with reading very little, taking some care of Willie and
combing Henry's hairs – This evening which I intended to devote
to you and the boys Uncle Cary has appropriated – he left
at nine oclock since then I have been reading my boys
to sleep – Willie is deposited safely in bed where I shall
soon join him as my eyes refuse to do duty any longer – I
have been so hurried that I actually forget when I wrote last
but think it must have been Monday or Tuesday – Henry was
then recovering from his illness but has not until to day seemed
quite well – – Monday 2 oclock — I have just returned from a
visit of discovery which I presume will interest you – I received

[top Margin]
I have heard that Worden was going West soon though he did not tell
me – you will return with him if he does wont you
I am often asked when I expect you – and Miss Worden
is also enquired after –

[left Margin]
Augustus is going to spend the evening with David Compston

x

David Cumpston

Birth: 1823 Death: 1863

– The Horners
will be at Mrs Dix's

a letter from Dr Canfield yesterday bewailing his hard fate in being
obliged to live alone and reiterating his enquires about Miss
Bleeker – I have never seen her from that time until this
but as she was on my list for a visit I dropped in there
this morning – I suppose matches, first second, and third
are all made in Heaven for I discovered by some casual
observation that the lady was quite as agreeably preposessed
as the Dr himself – I did not tell her how often he had
made enquiries about her but merely said I received
a letter from a gentleman making very particular enquiries
about her yesterday – adding that he was a widower – She
immediately answered "It cannot be the gentlemen I met at
your house last Spring" at the same it time blushing
deeply a sin which I have never known her to commit
before – I told her it was the same and as he intended visiting
here soon I presumed she would see him again – This she
seemed very desirous to do – Now I do abhor every thing like
matchmaking or I would write to the Dr and communicate
this very agreeable intelligence – The Dr is at present at
Trenton a member of the New Jersey Legislature – his children
at at May's Landing boarding and attending school – could
they get a good step mother I think it would be a mercy to them
Miss Bleeker appeared better than I have ever seen her before
she is more intelligent than most young ladies as she is
not very young – is the oldest daughter – has a step mother
herself – The Dr wrote he should be here at the close of the
session possibly before – now I know if I write one word of
all this to him he will come on immediately and make a
fool of himself in a variety of ways – What would you do
I presume I shall soon have a visit from the lady whose
curiosity is excited if nothing more — Tuesday we were invited
To Mrs Horners but I had the sick headache and could not go–
Wednesday I called there and found Debby and Miss Lord e both
with them – I could not persuade either of them to come
home with me – Thursday I spent the whole day trying to find

a carpet suitable for our front parlour intending to take
the present incumbent for the bed room which is at
length painted papered and grated — I could find none and
have finally concluded to get a common carpet for the
bed room – it seemed to me that I could annihilate the
distance between us as almost, so great was my decision to have
your taste and advice – of course no one agreed with me–
You do not say one word about coming down – remember you
said you would come in February – how glad I should be
to have you and dear Clary here all the time – No one
who has not lived in a perpetual whirl with a thousand
cares and perplexities can know how difficult it is for me
to get along – The hurry has always gone by before you
have come down – Now besides our everyday visitors and diners
I have in prospect – supper parties for Henry – a dinner
or two for the ladies of the Legislature and my Levee
which Henry is constantly urging me to hasten as he is
afraid the people will think us inhospitable – I have all my
arrangements to [ m ] ake alone, & unless I go out of the house
without the cun[ sel ] of any person – tomorrow night is the first
supper and I believe my cards are ordered for the
3 of February – I have much headache – Friday I sent for Debby
and Miss Lord to spend the day and the Horners to tea – I
had so violent a headache all day as to be hardly able to
sit up at all and finally was obliged to leave them
all and go to bed before evening – Saturday I had purposed
making a multitude of calls but first was to go to the Capitol
with the Horners &c – We did not get there until 12 oclock and
then Mr Hubble made a speech on the Virginia question so we
could not leave until the house adjourned – not one call
made – to day I made another attempt but the horses were
sent to be shoed and did not come home until it was too late
I made a few visits on foot – to night my head aches and I feel
almost disheartened – “Mrs Seward the butler is out” “Mrs Seward
the Laundress wants some starch or some indigo” Mrs Seward
John wants to know what he shall get from market” “A man or

woman waits in the hall to see Mrs S–” or “a gentleman in the parlour”
“some ladies in the parlour” “Ma my coat wants mending” “Ma
I have torn my pantaloons” Mary ann – “What work shall I take next
Mrs Seward” Miss Brown – “I have finished that work what next”
then Billy comes with a coat out at the elbow or a
hole on his knee – and dear little Willie puts out his
arms beseechingly to a mother who has no time to caress
him – I feel half the time so dizzy and bewildered that
I am obliged to sit down and put my hands to my head
before I am able to collect my thoughts –
Sam has gone to dine at Congress Hall with Mr Douglas— Mrs Spen Lyman
and Miss Spencer called this week – I must go to see them tomorrow
We are invited to Mrs Greens’ and to Mrs Dix’s tomorrow evening
but shall go h to neither – Henry has a supper – We hear of Jennings
at Washington with his wife and Anges – exceedingly happy – Dr
Canfield enquires affectionately about you – My love to Clara – tell her I am
nearly crazed

[right Margin]
I was too late for the mail last night and hoped I might hear from you
to day – I have been out making calls and am nearly sick since I returned
I saw Cheadell

x

John Chedell

Birth: 1806-04-24 Death: 1875-06-19

at Mrs Stanton’s

x

Eliza Staunton

Birth: 1814 Death: 1883-04-30

where Debby and Miss Lord
are spending the day – Love to Frances your own Sister

[center Margin]
Mrs Alvah Worden
Auburn
Cayuga County
Albany N.Y.
Jan 19

x

Stamp

Type: postmark