Sunday Dec 17^th 1843
My dear Sister,
The exceedingly unpleasant state of
the streets has prevented my going to Church to day though
the boys report that I am much less zealous than the
rest of the congregation Henry does not come home
yet I expected him last night but not confidently
as I heard he did not leave N. York until Friday
evening – The last letter I received was dated at N.
York he then thought he should be home Saturday
he had been to Florida and returned to the city
said nothing about going to Boston – We have
had all varieties of weather since I wrote last
Wednesday I went to make some calls –I went that
exceedingly cold day because I had told Clarence
he might drive for me and like other children
he seemed to think that was the last day in the
year – I went to a number of distant places
Mrs Beardsleys’ &c — I staid at Mrs Wrights
while Clarence went home to warm and should

have had a pleasant visit had not the constant inter-
ruptions and ill behavior of her children prevented
all conversation – I am surprised that a woman who
has so much sense can be so weak about the
management of her children – Mrs Wright was glad
to hear you were coming out so soon – I called to
see Mrs Dr Barber – they are at the Auburn house
I found her a very lady like person –much older
than I anticipated – wearing her own grey hair—
She is disabled with rheumatism and must find
it exceedingly wearisome at the Hotel with no
society – the Dr had gone into the country with Dr
Robinson to visit a patient (having become a convert to
homoeopathy since he came here) – He is giving a
course of lectures on Elocution at Cheadells room
I shall attend the next, the weather permitting—
This is not the the same Dr Barber who was here before
older I should judge — Uncle Cary good man
deceives himself like the rest of the world about his
own child—The idea that Walter should in any manner
except by accident be instrumental in arresting an
epidemic is too absurd to be commented upon

and yet I presume the celebrity of many an older
practitioner rests upon as baseless a fabric – I always think
of Grandma’s story about the celebrated Dr who gave pounded
pipe stems—I would rather it were Mary S—than Miss
Fowler who is to marry Mr Hubbel —Clarence says he
has heard again that she is engaged but I fear it will
terminate like her other engagements—I am sorry you
took the trouble to copy all of the Fairies—I had all ex-
cept the lass—am much pleased however to have it in
so nice a form—Wednesday Clara Pa and I took
tea with Mrs Miller in company with Mrs Harbottle
and her mother—I should have invited them here
yesterday but the rain prevented—I have seen
Clara but a few minutes alone since I last wrote
She has not been here—her family is nearly as large
as mine—she confines herself to the kitchen most of
the time—I think you had better come directly here
when you come out—we have much greater facilities
for making fires than she has—The Mrs Millers proposed
making her a visit next week—I shall invite them
here Tuesday and hope they will not trouble her for more
than one evening—Mrs M. Miller never seems to think that
Clara has any more to do than she —

I have no letter from my “big boy” this week—he does not
find much time to write — his monthly reports are favourable
to his good conduct —Wordens letter is here I did not
send it to the office as I supposed they could not attend
to the business he mentioned —
Willie is merry — his eyes about as usual — he
reads Mother Hubbard and John Gilpin to his Grandpa
every day to get him to sleep — I feel much cause for
thankfulness that his eyes are not so bad as they were last

[right Margin]
Winter—when they get a little more inflamed the calcarea has
not failed to restore them to their former state—but they are still
very weak—Love to Frances

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Frances Chesebro

Birth: 1826-12-12 Death: 1909-08-24

—your own sister
Mrs Alvah Worden
Canandaigua
AUBURN, N.Y.
DEC 17

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Stamp

Type: postmark

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Hand Shiftx

Lazette Worden

Birth: 1803-11-01 Death: 1875-10-03

1843