Sunday March 3^d—
My dear Sister,
Your Fan is with you to day
I hope— I miss her every where—and Willie
too, our house seems quite deserted— I was
very glad to get Frances letter from New
York—I had felt very anxious about them
and expect now that Frances will be
sick when she gets home—Frances will
tell you everything that took place before
she left—the dinner gave universal
satisfaction to the guests— invitations are
out for the other—next Wednesday— I
shall feel relieved when they are dis-
posed of—I had a melancholy reception
Friday, being alone—I will send a list of
visitors for Frances—all missed her very
much and condoled with me—Mr
and Miss Granger were both very sorry
to find her gone—Granger was very ill
at Philadelphia which prevented their
coming earlier—they are to stay three
or four weeks—were at Willards when
Henry and I called upon them yesterday

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I hope to hear you are getting ready to come either
with Clarence

x

Clarence Seward

Birth: 1828-10-07 Death: 1897-07-24

or Fred—Do not say you cannot—
Love to Frances & Willie—

Thursday morning just as I was preparing to
lie down feeling quite sick, Charles an‑
nounced Mrs Eleazer Hills of Auburn–
She stayed nearly two hours and promised
to come to the reception next day but did
not—She told me many things (true &
untrue I suppose) about people in New York
They have been all winter at the Astor House
Sarah is placed at a boarding school in the
City— many tears were shed according
to Mrs Hills account— that I believe— It was
wise not to keep the child at a public house
They stay two or three weeks— I gave Mrs
Hills all the necessary information about
dress and visits— Mr Granger said he
met them at the Presidents Friday evening–
Yesterday morning I made visits as usual—
After going to Willards we drove to the Capitol
Park that Fanny might see the crocuses—they
were very pretty certainly—Henry left me at the
door of the National—Dear little Fanny sat
in the carriage while I made my calls—
Most of the ladies were out—Mr Hills and
Mr Scarmerhorn with Mrs Clark came to
the parlour—Mr Scarmerhorn expressed great
admiration for Frances—You may as well

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Love to Clara

x

Clarinda McClallen

Birth: 1793-05-01 Death: 1862-09-05

—I shall write to her when you go
home

tell Henry to be careful about the Members
of Congress generally—she is a decided favorite
Mrs Hills was lying down having taken too long a
walk—had the carriage at the door to come
to my reception Friday but was obliged to go to
bed in order to refresh for the Presidents—I
think she is too excitable to live in a City—
The parlour was full at the National—Mrs Folsom
and her two young ladies were there—I then
went to see Mrs Allen of Ohio at Mrs Peytons —Henry
was at their house once when on a political tour—
Then I left a card at Mrs Caleb Smiths and
called on Madame Souleé—Madame is a
pretty French woman— she speaks English
very imperfectly— introduced me to to plain
young lady , her niece, just from Paris—
By this time I was very tired so we came home
Fanny wished she could go in and see the
ladies— The weather is mild and the grass
looks quite green since the rain— I am im-
patient to have you here—My letters seem to
travel slow as did your last which was
only received yesterday morning, written the
Friday pl previous—No news from Augustus
yet—it is now a month since I received his
last letter—he must be on the way—
I write this so that it may go this evening and hope

it will reach you before you leave Auburn—I have
at last finished reading Margaretta’s book and written
a letter of thanks which I presume you would
like to see—It was no easy matter to write a
letter which would be at all complimentary to
her and yet adhere to the truth—You shall judge
contrary to my expectation it is approved by Henry
Mr Schoolcraft & Fred—I hesitated about showing it
to Henry fearing he would think it lacking in warmth—
“My dear Miss Conkling—
I have read with great interest your Memoirs
of the Mother & Wife of Washington—Your correct appreciation
of their respective characters has given a new charm
to even the most familiar incidents—Throughout the
work h you have, with a happy discrimination,
succeeded in preserving the individuality of each
and have not failed to keep conspicuous the noble
mind of the one and the gentle virtues of the
other—A Please accept my grateful acknowl-
edgments for the unmerited honor conferred
upon me by the dedication, with my most
cordial wishes for your success & happiness
Frances A. Seward–
Tell Willie that when Fanny awoke the morning after he
left she commenced crying loud because he had gone—
said she did not like to go to the breakfast table
because it “looks so lonesome”—and utterly refused
to go to dinner on the same account—The couch was
cleared off and I asked her why she did not put
her playthings upon it—she said she did not like
to because Will used to play there—Dear little Fanny
her tenderness of feeling will give her much pain
unless it is properly deviated—She is far from well
coughs badly and is pale and thin—I am anxious

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to know whether Frances cough is any worse as I feared it might be