M Tuesday morning Dec. 26
My dear Sister,
I wish you a happy Christmas though
it is the day after — I tried in vain to find one
hour yesterday to write — Sunday I wrote a long
letter to Augustus which took all the leisure time
Yesterday morning I intended to have gone to Church
but a sick headache sent me to bed — until I was
obliged to get up and see to the dinner — Clara
and McLallen dined with us — After dinner
I was hurried preparing Fanny to go for a Christmas
visit to Appleton Blatchford — Then I must make
ready for the entertainment of Willies gathering
in the evening, then for tea — Then Clara and
I went to see the boys demolish the Christmas
Bag — while we were enjoying this sport Tom
Darling came and stayed nearly an hour —
The object of his visit was to enquire where you
and Frances were to be found — so you will
probably see him some time next week — After
he left I hurried to give Willies company, their
refreshments — then Aunt Clara went home
and finally I went to bed with my little girl
who had gone to sleep crying with a wound from
a pin received during the play —

[top Margin] All the children send love

To give you an idea of the constant circulation of
the family, Dennis brought the slay to the
door 10 times during the day and evening —
First Grandpa and Fred were to go to the
village— at 10 Mrs Miller to be taken to
Church — then Grandpa and Fred again — then
the sleigh went for Aunt Clara — then to
the Church for Mrs Miller — Then Fred and
Willie went down street — next Clarence
then Fanny was taken to Appleton’s party — brought
home at six — Aunt Clara went home at 9 —
So ended this very busy day — The Children at
least were very happy — Fanny had a beautiful time
a Christmas Tree adorned the table filled with
lights and presents for the children — Fanny
says it looked very pretty — Her account of the
guests was amusing enough — She said 'I walked
in and sat down' — Georgy Wood Dela Nye
Catherine Beardsley and Frank Morgan were their
little guests — There was one lady Fanny said
that they called St Nick but she thought it
was Mrs Goodwin — I presume it was Mary
Morgan as she is home at present — Mr
Griswold and Mr Allen whom Fanny mistook
for Mr Morgan — and a Miss Green — this
latter person I presume was Cornelia Morgan
with a fictitious name — and Appleton's father
and Mother — As nearly as I could understand.

the older guests dined there — The Children
were introduced with the dessert — Fanny
was the last to leave and Sammy and
cried loud to come home with her — but was
finally ded detained by Rosanna Fanny brought
home some pretty little toys home which she
is keeping with St Nicholas gifts to show
to Aunty — Willie's boys departed at ^1/ 2 past
nine apparently well satisfied — I am glad to
hear Frances is improving — Sorry that you
were deprived of the visit to the City — Henry
I know will see you at Flatbush — I
am begging beginning to expect him home —
I have heard just now that Mrs Hills refuses
to sign the deed for the sale of the house —
It may not be so, if it is they have become
satisfied that they have sold the house too
low — There has been of course all manner of
observations made — Peter Myers has published
two new books —"The first of the Knickerbockers"
and the "Young Patroon" Fred has read me
part of the latter with which I was much
pleased — there is abundance of the same kind
of humour which abounds in Washington Irvings
writings — I had a letter from Catherine
Huson yesterday, she seems to be very much
pleased with Rochester and Huson —
Clara has not come yet —

We are, after the manner of the Primitive Church and
the Fathers, to have our Church open for Prayers
every day this week — Since I wrote our
mild weather and rain have changed to cold
with snow — The snow was at one time
a foot deep but a night of rain has diminish-
ed it — Our furnace does not heat the house as
we hoped — Pray if you have an opportunity to
see one, do test its powers — Fred says houses
can be warmed by them even to an uncomfortable
degree — we cannot warm two rooms at a
time when the Thermometer is below freezing.
My confidence in Mr. McGregors judgement failed
while he was here — I see some obvious defects
but do not see any remedy in the case of our
furnace — Eliza often wishes you would
come that she may go beyond the reach of her
mother — Her mother behaves very badly — she
is determined to take all of Eliza's wages to
buy finery for herself — her new husband
seems to have diverted all feelings from her children
Margaret Doyle wants to come back — She told
me last night things about her sister Eliza
which were almost incredible — she has more
malice in her disposition than I ever supposed —
I feel very sorry for Margaret — My dull
letters are a poor return for yours which are very
interesting — Love to Frances
your own
Sister