Wednesday N^ov 15th
My dearest Sister,
You will readily imagine how glad I am to be
once more able to sit down and write you a letter after an illness
of two weeks—yesterday morning for the first time I took break-
fast with the family—I believe I wrote you last the day
after Mary Seward left here—the next day we went to Troy
to attend the marriage of Miss Huntington having been invited
to be present at the ceremony by Maryann Boardman and
led to infer that the invitation was an especial compliment
A party was to be given in the evening which I had declined
attending—Mr and Mrs Webb were to return with us in the
evening after we had all dined at Gen Wool's where we
were invited to meet the Webb's—The Gen. hearing we were to be in
town and knowing as he said that we were "sensible people" sent
us an invitation without Mrs Wools having called upon me
As she did not insult me by enclosing a card in the invitation
I concluded to go and was very glad I did—they were
sufficiently well bred to appreciate the informality of the
visit—and then we had such a beautiful dinner that I
am anxious to see you and give you all the particulars—

[top Margin] Henry

x

William Seward

Birth: 1801-05-16 Death: 1872-10-10

is very busy with his message—and also much annoyed by pecuniary
embarrassments—Jemy

Unknown

is behaving with his usual generosity

It was served in the French style—the quiet orderly arrangement, good
servants and total absence of bustle and parade and withal
the good dinner itself were in beautiful contrast with the attempts
which I have heretofore seen—I cannot conceive of any thing
in better taste than the whole affair—Well we rode over
to Troy in a sleigh arriving at Mrs Boardmans it 4 oclock—the
marriage to be at 1/2 past 4—I observed in coming through the
streets that there were an unusual number of people particularly
women who all seemed going one way. Henry at the time said
they were all going to the wedding but I thought the idea absurd
Mary of course was not ready—after waiting for her to to complete
the interesting employment of bedecking her fair person, about the
usual time, we all made our way to the church—Such crowds
of people as we passed on the way—Mary corroborated Henrys
suspicion, said it was customary in Troy when the church was
opened for every body to go—and every body did go—the hind
girls in a particular manner—the church was thronged gallery
aisles and all—After waiting another half hour the bride and
groom made their appearance, elbowing their way to the altar—
Mr Ian Cleck the pastor having previously admonished the congregation
not to make a rush they succeeded in getting in and out again
without molestation—which was more than we poor spectators did—
so much for a wedding in refined fashionable Troy—After allowing
the bride time to doff her hat and shawl we drove round and offered
our congratulations to Mr and Mrs Whitlock I believe that was
the name of the man in question—we then deposited Maryann
at her own door and drove to Gen Wool's where we found the
party (consisting of Webbs Averills an aid and niece of the Gen's)
all assembled—We sat down to the table at 5 and left at
8 after taking a cup of coffee in the parlour—Mr and Mrs Webb
accompanied us home—the next day I coughed incessantly but
did not go to bed until evening—the Webbs left in the boat—
I was very very sick two days before I would consent to
have the Dr and then I was sicker still—The quantities of
medicine which I took produced such dreadful nasuea that
the next five days seem like a perfect blank I have little
recollection of any thing except being dreadfully sick—[ Phyick ]
blisters mustard clea poultices &c—finally produced the desired result—my
cough became loosened and I breathed with more ease—then suceeded
many days of nausea langor and debility which have gradually
departed and left my head something in the state of Julia Leonards
that too I hope to recover from— in time—

Sam Blatchford and his father seemed to be very abundant here
all the time I was sick—Sam went on to Utica and spent 3 or 4
days with his beloved—Henry says he thinks young men are highly
favoured in this generation—such things were not practicable in his
day—While Sam and his father were here judging from appearances
they must have employed much of their time in getting all the
corking out of a couple of windows in the best bed room upon
which I had bestowed considerable labour the day before
I was taken sick—I have defeated that amusement for the future
by nailing down said windows this day with four long nails—
I had a note from Mary by Sam but was too ill to see him and did
not answer it—She regretted a great many times during her visit that
you were not here—I did too—Mrs Doane who is a very affectionate
little body sent a warm woolen tunic to Willie and a woolen
cap to his mother accompanied by a letter all heart—just like
herself—She dwells with much delight upon the recollection of her
visit here—As for the tunic you should see Will with it on it
is as he says rather "too funny"—It is print ^brown^ woolen yarn
trimmed with a white fringe of the same material and comes
just below the knee with sleeves and collar—Mary and I laughed
heartily on your account of the Gibsons "blue ribons " That said
blue was a very fasionable colour in the commencement of the season
but like most city fashions it was soon over worn and has now
become so common that a decidedly fashionable person eschews it
every thing in the street is blue blue blue—Mary was bewailing
Angie's misfortune in having become (before the rage) the proprietess of a
blue cloak and dress—I suppose the only remedy in such a hopeless
state of affairs is to dye—I am having the week to myself
this week because I am not well and because I do not wish to
see any one here—next week I must commence again—I hope
the river will keep open until Christmas but it will be rather ex-
traordinary if it does—Gus writes every week—like a good boy as he is—
Mr Polhemus staid with us last night—he brought me a letter
from Clara the first I have had in a long time—Pa is lame with
rheumatism—Clara thinks it doubtful whether he comes here before
Christmas—She expects you next week—I hope you will go—

Frederick often wishes you were here—he has gone to school to day for the
first time in a week—he has been sick with a cold—I have never
known so much sickness in Albany as this Winter—Clarence
has commenced school at the Academy I have a letter
from Augustus Seward to answer containing nothing especially
interesting—Clarence says they write to him that they are
to leave Westfield and go to some other town in Chautauqua County—I
cannot ascertain how Augustus is employed—Did I tell you that
Lauretta's husband had written to Henry for his portion of Jennings estate
on the grounds of her being an adopted daughter—Augustus was
obliged to sell all the furniture to conceal his fathers debts—
so the world goes—
Love to Frances—your own Sister
Mrs Alvah Worden
Canandaigua
Paid W.H.S.
PAID
ALBANY NY
DEC 16