Sunday Morning
My Dear Sister, I received the expected letter on Thursday — We have heard nothing
of the Vareoloid in this city though there has been some cases of smallpox —
Kit Morgan came the same morning I received your letter — He is now writing
at the same table with Henry and myself - I drew your letter towards me in-
stinctively when he came fearing he might get some insight into the contents —
Clarys letter came the next morning I believe Henry is now engaged in answering
it. Gus has written an enormous letter to you which he says he is going to
send by Mr Morgan also one to Fan which I printed and one to his Grandpa
I think Kit will require the mail bag to carry them all — It is one of the coldest
days we have had this month the wind and snow are blowing the prospect
of going down the river is rather dubious as it is frozen over again this
morning - no boat had arrived from New York — I have just got comfortably warm
Eliza and I have been corking the windows with cotton and Henry has succeeded
in making a very good fire this morning we found a large wash bowl bowl full
of snow had blown in at the numerous crevices in the windows — Mary
the Chambermaid having improved the first sunny day to take out the
cotton with which they were corked and raise the window to admit
fresh air — I Freddy’s pitcher of milk was frozen hard — every body was shivering
at the breakfast table — I went up into Mrs Cary’s room to get warm found them
all close to the grate quite as cold as myself — staid of course but a short
time - Gus came up and said Mr Tracy said he would read for me if I
would come and sit in his room — when I came down I found the fire burning
of course did not accept T’s offer - brought down Mrs Carys prayer book and
have been reading the articles of faith — even this cold day the people do go
to meeting but in diminished numbers — the wind blows so that we do not
hear the ringing of the bells — Friday evening I attended a large party at
Mrs Bacons - Mrs Lipton with a red Turban - Mrs Throop in Salmon coloured
satin which fitted about as well as her dresses usually do — The Lieutenant Governers

daughters both dressed in extremely bad taste - were among the most brilliant
of the small lights present - Nothing differed from the other parties I have
attended only the creams, blancmange, fruits &c were on a table after the
Manner of Mrs E Hills — I I went with Mr Cary - Henry having engaged
to go to the Theatre with Morgan and Augustus and not feeling at all inclined
to attend a party — Mrs B. F Butler invited me to ride down with her when
we came home which invitation I was not slow in accepting as the wind was
in our faces - So we all got into the carriage but Mr Cary who preferred
walking - Henry and Gus had not returned from the Theatre - they came in
soon after - Gus was so much afraid that he did not enjoy himself at
all he could not understand that they did not really murder each other
— Saturday morning Smith called to see me as he said he did not in-
tend to call on Henry first — Dick can never appear to realize that I am
not the child I was when we used to sit upon his lap and listen with
amasement to his recitation of Giles Scroggins Ghost - so he saluted me with
a kiss - he is boarding at the Eagle as he could not consent to leave
Crittenden - Morgan boards here and comes to see us as often as he feels
inclined - he appears amicable but I could not help thinking about
the letter - It rained and snowed all day yesterday I was thus prevented
making some calls that I intended to have made - Mrs Tracy of course
has not come as the River has never been open at Hudson. Tracy stays with
us about half the time — appears quite lonely — I hope Mrs T. will come
before I go to Orange County — The good members have been talking for a week
or two of having an Extra Session of the Legislature in which event the present
Session would have closed much earlier than it will now. — They have about
decided now that this will not be the case and I suppose we will be kept here
until sometime in May — I have not said anything about this before because
it was so uncertain and I know how unpleasant such disappointments are from
my experience of last Winter - Well as Grandma says seven weeks cannot last always
and the time will come for us to go home if we all live — the little boys are perfectly
(well.—

Fred will learn to read I expect before we come home he can tell A, B, R, O, Q, I, J already and
tries to say every think. Judge Smith sent him the other day a little book containing nothing
but the Alphabet in very large letters - the little meek eyed boy gets his book whenever
any new personage enters the room and shows them the letters. Now I want to tell you one
grievous trouble of mine — Henry the other day wrote a letter to Cousin Mary Evans and
sent her one of his speeches. Frances= answered the letter and accepted the invitation
to accompany us home which I for the first time learned that Henry had given her —
I would not have had it for the world had I been consulted I know it will be unpleasant
to our folks at home and I am sure will mar the happiness of my return materially
If I can possibly make any other arrangements I will but you know I am a very bad
manager on such occasions — Will you tell Clary all about it — s tell her how sorry
I am — Henry never can feel that company is not agreeable at all times and seasons —
Henry told Tracy the other day that I was afraid of him and Tracy has been rallying me
about it ever since — I tell him it is actually the case - which he says is very silly -
he is a singular being — I cannot tell you now what I do think of him - I believe at
present that he could convince me that the ^a^ Chamelion was blue green or black just
as he should choose — Weed has never been to see us since Tracy came — I am sorry
for this though I can hardly account for it - As Morgan does not go until Teusday
I shall leave the remainder of my letter until tomorrow evening hoping in the
mean time to be preserved from freesing — and wishing you the same blessing —
Teusday morning. Morgan having concluded not to go until Wednesday
morning I did not write any yesterday. My head ached all day hard, it was
too cold to go out — I went to Mrs. Bronsons room and made a call then
spent the evening reading to Mrs Cary in Eugene Aram which Mr Fosgate
lent me the other day. Morgan and Tracy were in our room in the
course of the day about as usual. Tracy low spirited I do wish his wife
would come, but no boats have arrived yet — Mr Beardsley and
Fuller called in the course of the evening — Birdsall and George Andrews
in the morning - This morning I got up free from the headache — eat breakfast
dispatched some ham and potato to Fred — came to my room finished a letter which
which I commenced to Cornelia on Sunday — went up to Mrs Carys — read 2
chapters in Eugene Aram — Gus came up said Fred had gone to sleep — the Dr
came in — I came down again — sent Eliza down to boil some rice for Freds
dinner and am now writing to you and rocking the cradle occasionally —
Gus is playing marbles — Tracy of course made us a visit after breakfast said
he was not well. My head aches again finely - the weather is more mild then yes-
terday — I shall expect a letter tomorrow - I know you wrote on Sunday I will finish
the journal of this day tomorr this evening and close this letter it is now 12 o clock —
in the evening - Since dinner I have been to the Orphan Asylum with Mrs Hopkins
and some other ladies - it was very interesting to see the wee things recite their
lessons — some only 2 & 3 years old — I cried and laughed alternately — but I
must reserve a description for an other letter and finish this this evening —
after visiting the Asylum we went home and took tea with Mrs Hopkins

had a very pleasant visit have just returned - Henry has gone to see Tracy and
Gus is waiting for me to go to bed with him - he says cousin Frances must send
him another letter. Fred is still asleep. It is raining and I got very muddy
coming home - Your own Sis Frances
Mrs Alvah Worden
Auburn
Mr Morgan