Sunday Jan 15 1843
My dear Sister,
I do not know when I shall again
find time to write to you any other day than Sunday
When Henry is at home we are generally hurried all
the time — He has so many visitors that Abbey
and I find it as much as we can do to keep
the house tolerably clean – I believe he has concluded
at my suggestion to keep an office in the exchange
building, though he would much prefer being here
When he is here the whole house is office, with the
usual accompaniments of mud, spitting and
smoking – The nursery is converted into a library
shelves are put up in all the vacant spaces, the
two cases with geological specimens are also there
all the former furniture is removed, still there
is not room for all the books and the south room
entry is likewise to be appropriated – Thomas is putting

up shelves there also –The week has been devoted to the
unpacking of books, papers &c. and arranging them for
which room could be found – Harriet and Nicholas
went to Cayuga Tuesday – I think they are quite
undetermined what they will do in future – it will
probably result in going back to Albany – Were it not
for little Harriet I should try to persuade them to
remain here but the three days experience which we
had rather discouraged me – Our family is so large
our kitchen so small and Harriet and Willie so
nearly of an age that I think we should all be
made uncomfortable – Then Julia is poor help
and John intolerably dirty and stupid – if Harriet
and Nicholas were keeping house here I should insist
upon having Nicholas but I do not like to urge
them to move back – they have no company here – the
coloured people always sufficiently worthless have
dwindled to but one or two who are decent —
Harriet said she would like very much to go and see
you while she was at Cayuga, I told her you would

be glad to see her – They did not know how long they
should remain there – Should Clara leave (I do not think
she will) I shall try to keep them both little Harriet not
withstanding because I know of no other persons whom I
could get to fill their places – Freddy is well and
wants to see Aunty very much – he goes to school to the
Academy tomorrow – I have heard nothing from Augustus
since I last wrote – Mr Kinsleys report came to day
written the 1^st — Henry continues to think me very unwise
in objecting to his going to the Point – Willie’s eyes are still
very bad – dear little boy he is seeking dark corners to
sit in and often exclaiming that he cannot see though he
does not complain of pain – Clara studies the Somers mutiny
Sunday’s — I see two of the last witnesses say they think
the vessel might have gone to St Thomas without the execution
a question which they seem to have avoided in the previous
examinations – I shall never think the executions justifiable
whatever that cowardly Capt. may prove – his fears undoubtedly
influenced the opinions of all the others – Henry received a
few lines from J.C. Spencer in reply to a letter or notes written
after the dreadful intelligence had transpired—He says “I ought
sooner to have acknowledged your kind and feeling note of sympathy
in the horrible calamity which has overtaken me and my family – I now
do so, with my grateful assurances for the consolation it has afforded.
But Mrs S. and myself are well aware that we must look to a higher than
human source for that balm which only can heal the wounds of our bleeding
hearts –" I never read any of the testimony without thinking that Spencer
will see it too – she I trust is spared that torture – it is an impossible
affliction which ages can hardly soften – H. Underwood comes to see
us every day and is very nice – he talks of going to see you this week
I was ironing the day John Sibley called of course not aware that
he was here until he had gone – otherwise I might have seen him—
Uncle Cary was here yesterday on his way to Albany – staid here an
hour – Gary Sacket spent 2 or 3 days with us last week –
I havin have been trying every day last week to get out – I am
ashamed that I have not seen Mrs Wright or ever heard from

her – My head has ached every day – I believe this weather
is not favorable to nerves – Mrs Miller says she has been
sick all the week – We all went to Church to day except
Clara – Mr Croswell was unusually animated – gave us a very
good sermon –
Maria and her baby are well – I have not seen them –
The silk has gone to Smith — the other man is still sick
Fred send oceans of love your own Sister—
Mrs Alvah Worden
Canandaigua
AUBURN
JAN
15
N.Y.

[right Margin] Henry says the days are very long here—he would prefer to
be in a bustle—