Sunday morning Jan 8^th
My dear Sister,
I have tried in vain the last two
days to get time to write you a letter – Thursday
night dear Fred came home in company with H
Underwood, Harriet & Nicholas – we had been expecting
them since Monday – Clara had been up every night
until 12 or 1 oclock – that night we had covered the
fire and I was in bed when the street door bell
rang – not having heard from Henry during the week
I had no doubt that they would all come together
but he was unable to leave before Saturday – Harriet
and Nicholas were to come on Monday but were prevented
by a heavy fall of snow which obstructed the passage
on the rail road – I was glad they did not come the
weather was so cold I am afraid ^sure^ they would ^have^ frozen
as it was the weather had so moderated that they
came very comfortably – Fred is well and happy
to be at home – I need not say that his mother is equaly


[top Margin] I have a letter from Clarence

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Clarence Seward

Birth: 1828-10-07 Death: 1897-07-24

– he sends his love to you – says
he shall not write again as you do not answer his letters —
I agree with you in thinking the testimony does not prove the necessity
of Spencers

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Philip Spencer

Birth: 1823-01-28 Death: 1842-12-01

execution – I never thought it right — McKensie

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Alexander  Mackenzie

Birth: 1803-04-06 Death: 1848-09-13

appears to me to be a very weak man – I dislike his


[bottom Margin] e

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Editorial Note

Crosshatch writing

cant about religion – he is evidently a mean man – I
presume there is no doubt of his acquittal – Greely

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Horace Greeley

Birth: 1811-02-03 Death: 1872-11-29

seems
to have h it very much at heart – I am provoked
with him for it — I am told fears are entertained
that Mr Spencer

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John Spencer

Birth: 1788-01-08 Death: 1855-05-17

will become insane — I wonder that
he is not already – I think if McKensie could
have been sure of having day light all the way home he
would not have hanged those men

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Samuel Cromwell

Birth:   Death: 1842-12-01 

Elisha  Small

Birth:   Death: 1842-12-01 

– he seems afraid
of the dark —


[left Margin] Maria

Unknown

has a daughter

Unknown

– is very well —

pleased.
Last night Henry came – our house is now pretty well
filled particularly the kitchen department – Henry is very
well, in fine spirits – more free from care apparently
than he has been in four years – he spent the last week
he remained in the city making visits innumerable
the last day dined at two places and took a
parting supper with his friends – upon the whole I
think the termination of his official career is vastly
more desirable than the commencement –Tomorrow
the nursery is to be converted into a study or library
the cases for the minerals have come and are very pretty
they are to be in the library – his office for the
transaction of business will be probably in the exchange
buildings – Clara thinks if her boy were here we should be
a very happy family – dear Gus – I had a letter from him
yesterday written New Years day – he had never received
mine which I wrote a fortnight ago on the subject
of his going or rather not going to West Point so that
I still feel that question to be in a measure unsettled – I
must write to him again to day – I received your
letter Wednesday – Frances must have pleasant recollections

of the Holidays – The ladies here have had two fairs in the
course of the last fortnight – the first was was “got up” by
Mrs E Hills for the benefit of a clergyman who was educated
in the Seminary – and wanted $125 – I do not know why Mrs
Hills was interested – probably the love of display was the activating
principle –Well Mrs Hills being rather unpopular and the
object of the fair rather questionable, it did not take – her
supporters were chiefly those of her own church and even there
unanimity did not prevail – The town hall was decorated
a band sent for to Seneca Fall &c &c – still the attendance
was thin or the contributions small the $125 was not
collected – I believe there was a deficiency of 10 or 12 dollars
with which the said clergymans family were extremely dis-
satisfied – In the mean time a number of women from the
other Churches set in motion preparations for another fair for
the “Benefit of the poor” – the opposition made it exceedingly
popular and every body went – some pulled down the decor-
ations which had been previously used as unworthy – new greens
were procured — some carried lamps, some pictures, a
notice appeared inviting all to send contributions to the
town hall – Mr Croswell read the notice last Sunday in
Church – under protest however as he said it must not
be inferred from his so doing that he approved of that way
of collecting money for the poor – I thought it a very sensible
remark – was a little surprised at his courage in opposing
so strong a but when I spoke my sentiments I was
warmly opposed to by Pa who seemed to think the chief merit
of the fair to be the opposition to Mrs Hills and the seminary
student — ‘Croswell had no business to say any thing about it –’ so I
was put down – Mr Lathrop advised all his congregation to go, &
they did so – the house was crowded – they are said to have taken
between 3 and 4 hundred dollars — I hope the poor will receive it
but I prefer being my own almoner – The fair will long be talked
of as one of the purely benevolent projects of the day – the spirit
which produced it is swallowed up in the success – it is the
way of the world —

Harriet and Nicholas did not move their furniture from which
I infer they think of returning – They would I presume stay with
us if they thought it agreeable to all the family but Pa has his
usual fancies – nothing is decided yet – they go to Cayuga
tomorrow — I could not be persuaded to part with them
on any grounds were it not for little Harriet who is a deal
of trouble — and we have so many other children –
There is much gossip about the new administration but I cannot
write it – the recommendation of the Gov. to repeal the
law granting slaves a trial by jury has arranged all the
coloured population against him — York & Hetty


[right Margin] are there – the men

Unknown

were given a New Years cake a piece – the boys

Unknown

were not allowed any but were kept out of the yard by a man

Unknown

with a club! I approve of giving nothing except to the boys
that I think very suitable —
Mrs Alvah Worden
Canandaigua
AUBURN
JAN
8
N.Y.

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