Auburn Saturday 23^rd
My Dear Henry. You will not think that I do
not love you abundantly and think of you most
of the time because I have not written before
I waited until yesterday to hear from you
that I might know where to direct a letter.
Clary has just departed for Middlesex, she is
not well and I persuaded her to go away
for a few days. It is a matter of some doubt
whether we have any thing to eat before she
comes home again. Our help being a new
Irish woman who has been in the country only
one year, she came to us the same day you
left we were glad to take her as Dave was
wholly unsuccessful in his attempts to find a
girl for us, she is good natured fat and slovenly
perfectly ignorant of the art of cooking. Maria
I think will be our principal dependence as
I am utterly unable to do any thing of the
kind. Lazette is worse again but perhaps this
is in consequence of the medicine she has taken
Dr Humpheys came here Teusday night
to extract a tooth for H. Weed I asked him
to call and see Lazette which he seemed
very willing to do it, he went the next
morning and gave her some calomel, thinks
she has an affliction of the liver which
will render it necessary for her to submit
to medical treatment

a while longer, the truth is I suppose Briggs
allowed her to do pretty much as she pleased
the consequence was she rejected all prescriptions
and the Dr had discontinued his visits while
she was but half cured, she has not been
able to sit up the last two days. Maria has
slept in her room one night, last night she
had no one with her but Frances. I find it
very difficult to remain at home contentedly but
know I could do no good and should
increase my own illness by going to see her.
Mrs Isaack Miller Mrs Yates and Mrs Maria
Miller took tea with us Teusday. Maria went
away in a state of great despondency because
Peter had not brought home her cowl. What
a variety of afflictions there are in the world.
I am glad to hear my dear boy is well and
pleased with his journey, tell him that he little
garden has been watered and weeded as much
as he could wish, his Ma has spent two or
three mornings there herself, it looks now like
an island in a desert the other part of the
garden is overgrown with weeds while his is
perfectly neat and clean. I have tied up the
sweet peas, the pinks will be in bloom in
a few days and the balsam is so beautiful
that it even elicited some words of appreciation
from our well beloved Cousin Maria who
wished to procure some of the seed.
The little kitten grows in beauty and knowledge
daily and I hope will catch mice enough to

reward us for all the solicitude we have had
about her, the old cat has renewed her age
and caught 2 rats in one day. Edward
Chace behaves rather unkindly to poor Snip
but it only makes Snip love us the more
and Clary scolded him so much the other
day when he came over with a rope and
horsewhip that I do not think he will
come again on a similar errand. We shall
expect a letter from Augustus next week. I hope
he will be very observing that he may answer
all the questions Ma and Freddy will have to ask
him when he comes home, his Ma has missed
him very much but she is not sorry that he
went because she thinks it will be for his advantage.
I feel quite desirous to know how you
like Chautauque, as your stay will not much
extend a week I do not think I will write
again. Frederick complains of being very lonely
about twilight every evening, he has regular
school hours every day reads, spells, writes &
recites a lesson in Parely’s geography. All
send love to yourself and Augustus, your own
Frances
If Augustus find his hat too large for convenience which
I was afraid he would will you please to have 3 or4
bands taken off, any woman can do it.

[left Margin] Do not forget to tell John Birdsall

x

John Birdsall

Birth: 1802 Death: 1839-07-22

. that we have many
kind recollections of him.

William H. Seward
Mayville
Chatauque County
AUBURN N.Y.
Jul. 24
MAYVILLE N.Y.
JUL 28
hFrances
July 20, 1836