Sunday April 2^d
My dearest Henry
I was made very happy
yesterday by your letter of last Sunday - the day
on which you made an open profession of the religion
of our blessed Saviour - may his spirit light your
path and guide your footsteps - I am impatient
to make your dear mother a sharer of my joy - I
know her love and her solicitude about you
I hope you have written, I will in the course of this
week - So Jennings is certainly coming - this
is more than I ventured to hope - the 1^st of April
had come here when your letter arrived and I
have been busy fancying that they were already there
and you were making preparations to return to
us - I think Harriet and Nicholas will return to
Auburn - Harriet went away unwillingly and from
what Augustus tells me has never been very
well pleased with Westfield - I think your depar-
ture will take away the principal inducement for
remaining - Marcia’s household seems to be made
up and if it were not I doubt whether she would
be desirous to retain Harriet with her 2 babies - they
are affairs which inconvenience ladies much more
than they do gentlemen whose presence is not
often required in their department - I doubt still
more Harriet’s willingness to remain after you come
away — I should like much to have Nicholas here
but although my patience is only tried by Peter’s
delinquincies I know that Pa considers him necess-
ary to his comfort and I would not undertake
to supply his place in this respect - however this

can be arranged when you come - Nathan was here
trimming trees Friday he gives me no encouragement
about making the garden - he has so many older
claims - thinks he might give us a day occasionally
but could not come early in the Season — This
would hardly answer our purpose—
Clara came down stairs today for the first time
she is still feeble and thin but on the much
more comfortable than we had any reason to anticipate
Pa evinces no measely (as Fred says) symptoms yet —
we hope he will escape — Miss Gardner called
Friday - talked pretty much the whole time
about Mrs Chase - Mrs Chase gives up possession
tomorrow — Beardsley was starved into this measure
from all accounts — he finally told her that
one of them must leave the house - Hudson
supplies her place - From Miss Gardners account
Mrs Chase has treated Mrs Beardsley very ill
Monday afternoon We have April weather snow storms
rain and sunshine succeed each other with great
rapidity — Clara has been down stairs all day my
little school goes on as usual - What a passion Fred
has for reading — he was up stairs immediately after
breakfast and intently employed a long time alone in
finishing a little book he commenced reading yesterday.
Tuesday afternoon — I have just received your letter
written the Wednesday after you heard of Clara’s illness
I think I wrote again in a few days — I am compelled
to close this abruptly by the extreme weakness of my
eyes - I am afraid I have already detained it too
long to reach you before the time of your departure
Freddy says “tell Pa I am afraid he would not get
my letters now if I should try to write it takes me
so long” — Augustus is much gratified by his letters he desires
me to ask you to bring home his watch and Geography

If it is not inconvenient for you please to leave some money
with Lazette I have had no opportunity to send her any
your own Frances —

AUBURN
APR 5
NY
William H. Seward
Westfield
Chautauqua County
hF A Seward
April 2^d 1837.