Tuesday evening 24^th
My Dear Henry, Clary and Maria have gone to the ball Grandma
and the remainder of the family to bed and I am left quite alone with
Gus in his by, who went to sleep in remarkably good humour reflecting
on the beautiful stories his Grandpa had been amusing him with
about the dogs and foxes – I expected a letter from you to night but
Peter says there is none for me – I feel anxious to know whether you
are travelling this very cold weather – I hope not – This afternoon your
artillery company were out – they came here and gave us a tune – Hinman
borrowed your clothes for the occasion and played the Captain – I
finish this letter until tomorrow that I may give you some of
the particulars – Last night I read Wieland all the evening until
my imagination became so much excited that I dare not sleep
alone so Maria had compassion on me and took part of my bed
poor girl she had the toothache all night Harrison was here yesterday
and put in for her two front teeth she has been hardly able to sit
up all day but went to the ball notwithstanding – When I went up
to bed I found the stove pipe in the act of falling down had I been
ten minutes later I should have found it prostrate – Pa fortunately came
in at this time and Maria and I held it up with strings until
he and Peter made it all safe again this was of course not
done without considerable noise – this morning Peter was dispatched
to the blacksmiths to get three iron wedges made to fill up
that space between the pipe and sheetiron and they are now in
posession of their abode – I received a letter from you Sunday evening
saying you still continued in Albany I shall not complain of
the shortness of your letters so long as you write often –
Wednesday evening. My Dear Henry I have just returned from
Lazette’s where Gus and I have been visiting – When I came home
Peter brought me a letter from you dated Monday 23 – you speak
in it of a letter you wrote the day before which I never received
it should have come last night – did you send it and what
was the occasion of your being in low spirits at the time you
wrote it I am in hopes it will come yet – For what purpose was
the convention of antimasons held at Albany. I have never heard
any thing of it only what you have written as you are interested
in it I am very glad they have been so successful – This has been
the first warm day since you left us – Clara and Maria are
feeling the effects of the ball to night – Poor Maria was obliged to

come home after dancing once – her face is so swollen that she looks
unnatural – Clara did not come home until four oclock as usual –
the ball was very generally attended 70 couple I believe it passed off
very much as all balls do about the same number of flirtations, the
same jealousies – the same dissatisfaction about precedence there were
so many they could not all of course dance as much as they wished
I have not even heard Clara say it was the most pleasant ball she
ever attended which she usually says of the last – Serene is sick and
did not go – Mr Hamilton sent over the day previous to the ball to
borrow again our engraving of Lafayette I sent it – though I must say
rather unwillingly – to day it was brought home and Peter on account
of Pa’s being in the house put it in the kitchen closet here Augustus
found it at and by way of amusement turned it over and broke the
glass in twenty pieces – I sent it to Goodwin to have the glass replaced
and shall let it remain until you come – is it right? I heard to night
that the lost papers were found I suppose you have received them by this
tho time – I am afraid this has occasioned you a great deal of trouble
this will determine you to go on to New Jersey and I shall not see you
so soon so you must not ask me to say I am glad – The wind
blows hard and makes a most doleful noise to night – and then I have
some frightful dreams well I wont talk about it I know you will come
home as soon as you can – and make light the heart of your own
Frances

William H Seward Esq
at Albany
To the care of Julius Rhoades Esq –
Auburn
N.Y.
FEB 23
hF. A. Seward