New Years morning
My dear Sister,
I wish you all "Happy New
Year" and as many more of them as you
all desire – Our Will came home last
night to make ours "happy" – He looks
uncommonly well and is very cheerful
and cheering – Then I have a letter from
Augustus written at Havanna the day
before Christmas – said he had a pleasant
voyage and had been busy seeing what
was to be seen in the city –there were many
Americans there, but none he knew –He was
to go to Key West the next day – arrives
there the same afternoon –Thirdly I
have your excellent long letter of Monday
and Tuesday which I shall read just 3
times to day, once to the children and once
to Aunt Clara who I think will be up this
afternoon. As Will dines with Mrs.

[top Margin] Harriet Bogart

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Harriet Bogart

Birth: 1807 Death: 1888-08-20

has just returned –I have not seen her, she
brought me a pretty needlebook for Caroline Schoolcraft
& a note – Caroline intends to go to Washington
but as the children are not well I do not think she
could go soon – Ask Henry if it is best for me

[left Margin] to try to hasten her visit. Fanny sends love to all
Sister

Watson, our New Years dinner is deferred
until tomorrow. Good little Mary
Titus has been over for Fanny to spend the
afternoon with her – Will, says Fred is
well but working so much that I fear
he will not continue so – Mr Wilkeson
was however able to be at the office this
day before Will left – I do not wish
to keep you at Washington longer that you
wish to stay, and shall be very glad to see
you whenever you come – As I hear nothing
from the Mellen's I infer that they will
not go immediately – I can meet them
when they do go but I hope it will not
be earlier than next month –I am glad
you went to Silver Spring and enjoyed your
visit so well, glad that you find some
pleasing acquaintance in the midst of the
multitude of I quite like the idea of
knowing Miss Howland – it makes me
sorry when you tell how much she does
that our friend Sarah had so little

capacity for improving and enjoying the
opportunity she had –however I suppose
she must have found some bright spots
or she would not have been willing to go again
We have no snow for this New Years day
but the day itself is not very cold and
rather pleasant – though our days of sunshine
in this latitude are few and far between –
Caroline Canfield wrote me that she should
be ready to go to Washington the 1^st of February –
she is to wean Lawrence about that time.
Yesterday morning Mr Mansfield came in to
see me – he is going to New York for an indefinite
period – seemed depressed to leave his family –
I told him how glad you would be to see him
at Washington should his business call him
that way – which he said was not impossible
though not probable – I promised to go and see
Mrs Mansfield – on business. I will go
while Will is here to drive me – It is
not very pleasant to ride with Willis, if
it is safe – the boys call him names

since his affray in the Street – he talks
to them in return – Fanny gave up a
drive yesterday which she attempted with
him – I am very sorry for Willis – I fear
him incapability of resisting temptation will
destroy him – he seemed l very penitent the
day succeeding that in which he was so intox
icated – and promised amendment – but he
drinks some every day – I hear of him often in
Rhoades store – The buggy belonged to Mr
Rhoades it is gone now – how and when I
do not know – but I don't like Mr
Rhoades – his store will add to the homes
which are made miserable by intemperance
I will put up the oils to send by Mr
Morgan in as small a compass as possible –
Wills; friend did not come with him – I was
only sorry on his account as it is more pleasant
f for him to have company – Trip has commenced
the New Year by eating a breakfast of brown
bread and gravy –quite an unprecedented thing
for him –Fanny went out yesterday and left
him at home which occasion him to cry aloud –
He is very happy on the whole – and entirely well –
The people here talk more of Henry's remarks on the
Presidents message than they do of Douglas speech –
of course it was very acceptable to the Republicans
Was ever any thing more pitiable weak than

[right Margin] the Presidents course with regard to Walker

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William Walker

Birth: 1824-05-08 Death: 1860-09-12

& Paulding

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Hiram Paulding

Birth: 1797-12-11 Death: 1878-10-20