Sunday evening Jan. 2^nd
"A happy New Year" to you dearest if you have run away and left
me alone with the two tiny ones — they are dear creatures and I have
no right to complain for as Gus says 'Ma you are not all alone
when I am with you' — Still it is a lonely New Year and four months
will seem like such a long time I intended to have commenced my
journal yesterday but we went up to see Lazette last night
and it was a long cold walk and I came home with the
headache and could not find any paper and all that
Thursday evening Clary went to the ball at the American
all the young gentlemen who board at the Exchange having
made themselves comfortably wroth on the occasion because
they were not consulted in season the number who attended
was quite small but all very pleasant though I have not
heard Clary say yet that it was the pleasantest she ever
attended Burgess was there and yesterday spent the afternoon
here he said he saw you at Syracuse on Thursday — It has
rained and snowed and froze and thawed since you went
away and every new change has increased the badness
of the roads until I think they must be nearly impassible
I conclude you must be in Albany by this time — We have
had a delightful day today warm and sunny like spring
I went to Church this afternoon and heard a very good
sermon from Dr Rudd — have you heard that he is going
to England in the Spring — S— Hulbert was here on Friday
collecting money to purchase a new cloak for Mrs Rudd for
a New Years present — silly — they called on a number who I
am sure cannot afford cloaks for themselves — the Miss Rays &c —

The same morning you left a letter came from Cornelia and a few days
after one from Jennings I shall copy one and enclose the other
The scarlet fever still prevails here we hear of new cases every day
Mr Cock has three children ill with it — one is considered past
recovery — The senator

x

Hiram Mather

Birth: 1796-02-13 Death: 1868-07-11

has a young daughter I suppose he is at liberty
to return again — Mrs P....s does not attend any parties this winter
on account of the absence of her lord — I hope you will not expect
this mark of devotion from me should there chance to be any thing
of the kind going on — Maryann went home on Friday I have
got a concern in her place that even Fred with all his meekness &
he is very meek you know can hardly tolerate — Edward has not
gone yet there is so much business in the office — Clary is still
vascillating, in hopes there will be snow — no prospect of that
kind however — Now for Cornelias letter —
Bargaintown 17^th Dec
My Dear Brother, Since I rec^d your kind letter it has been my
painful duty to be in the sick room a great deal, or I should
sooner written to say how happy your success in the late
political contest makes me — Mahlon has had a very ill
turn & as in he was in attendance on a deplorable case of
small pox, I thought it must be that, but I am thankful it
was not, it was a very obstinate turn of colic with sick stomach
and fever, from which he has entirely recovered — Our Bill has
been very sick but we are once more all well — I have been
quite healthy since my return entirely rid of my cough —
I had a melancholly account of our poor Brother Polydore by last
mail, have you heard it? it distresses me exceedingly, his disposition
is so desponding I dread to hear from him, he is dreadfully embarrassed
would it no be well to pay some little attention to his pecuniary affairs —
I heard by way of Washington — How do you all do? Give my love to Frances, & tell
her she must come to see us next summer — Our little boy runs all over

and is so mischievous I fear he will meet with some disaster —
Is Clary married? Is Lazette well I wish someone could
spare time to write me a long letter —
Yours affectionately
Cornelia
P. S Mahlon had written a very long political (I suppose) letter
to you the day he was taken sick but it was never
sent, he sends his regards hoping to hear from you soon —
William H. Seward —
Albany —
AUBURN NY
JAN. 5
hF. A. S.
Jan 2 1831

hI began this letter on the wrong side which I did not discover until I
had finished Cornelias letter I do not like to see the ruled
lines on the back of a letter so I commence again here —
I intend to write to Cornelia soon although she has never answer-
ed my last — Monday — This morning being very pleasant I
went over to our house to see what ravages the mice had made
found every thing as I left it — sent Peter over to empty the
hogshead which was frozen full of water and bursting the hoops
Mrs Noyes and Mrs Jones called while I was gone of course did
not see them — Mr Willard dined with us — Augustus spent
most of the day at the office — Teusday morning —
got up with an intolerable headache — Willard here to breakfast
stayed here last night — I intended today to have gone to
Lazettes but it rains and rains & is muddy & muddy —
It is almost time to look for a letter from you I know you
must have written on Sunday — I have forggotten what you
told me about the direction if it is of any consequence
write it for me — Only look at those two g's in forgotten my
head aches so I hardly know what I write — I wish
you could see Fred he has got that little trick of making
himself stiff just as Gus used to do — Augustus is so
much delighted with it that he is constantly shaking his fists
to make Fred perform — Write as often as you can — your own
Frances —