Florida July 13^th –
My Dearest Sister – Yesterday being Sunday I intended to have written you a long
letter but just as I had made myself ready to begin there came up a
thunder shower of course I could not think of any thing else while that con-
tinued – in the evening I went early to bed with the headache so the letter
remained unwritten – I have been here six weeks to day (that is it is six weeks
since I left home) and have not yet been seriously homesick as I anticipated
As you say Mrs and Mr Seward do every thing in their power to make me
happy and I find little Gus a great deal of company so that my situation
is very different from the time I was at Ballstown – To be sure I do once in
a while make one of those unceremonious visits that I used to object to
so much but this appears to be the fashion of the country and as these
visits are made to plain people who make no pretensions to gentility
I find it much more pleasant than I anticipated – Thank fortune Mrs Wickham
has not made it convenient to call on me yet so I have been spared a
visit there – I have a very poor opinion of her and would rather not go there
While she was Bridget McDonald she was goodnatured and sociable and a
general favorite – but her change of circumstances is as generally the case has
effected an entire change in her manners and she is now fashionable, affected
and hypocritical – The Generals three neices the two Mrs Hoffmans and Mrs
Hone have been there I believe some of them remain yet. Mrs Wickham apologizes
when she sees any of our folks for not calling probably thinks I feel very
much neglected – I am in hopes company or something else will detain
her at home until I am fairly out of Orange County – I spent the day
at Harry Sewards in Goshen last week – She is just recovering from her
confinement has another boy four weeks old – She is very plain tolerably
clever and con[ si ] derably unrefined – I can tell better how I like her when I
have seen more of her – She appears to be considerably more of a man
than her husband who is almost as meek as Steele – I found a piano
there of course was very agreeably entertained in the same way that Serene
used to be at our house — Harry’s mother came up and spent the day
Mrs Seward says she and her daughter-in-law do not agree very well I
saw nothing of it – she appeared to be quite mad because her husband
(Dr Seward) had made so long a journey – Nathan Cooper the oldest boy
behaved much more respectably than I expected to see him from
previous information – Augustus did not go with me —

In less than six weeks more I hope to be home and in still less time I hope I shall
see your face – Henry says you have promised to come down with him how
glad we shall all be to see you – do write to me immediately and let
me know if you have by this time conjured up any objections that I may
at dissipate them as soon as possible – we would have such a good time
with the babies – Gus laughs loud when he thinks of it – You did not say a
word about it in your letter this look ominous — As it regards clothes
you will want but very few as long as I have been here yesterday was the
first time I have put on any kind of a dress but black or calico since
I came away – by the way the white frock I had cut in Albany sits
so bad that I shall not attempt to finish it until I come home – I
can do very well without it although I thought I could not when I had
it cut – I have made Augustus little red jacket it is altogether too
much. I hardly think he will have an opportunity to wear it before he comes
home – The meeting experiment did not succeed – Sarah took him yesterday
in the morning but he would not stay came home immediately after the
first prayer. His clothes appear to be very much admired the pattern
has been called for once or twice – Frances will be so much pleased with
travelling that you will find her very little trouble I should advise you
if you are not too much afraid while in the stage not to go on the
canal it is so tedious and the babies get tired as well as other people —
Mrs Seward says you must certainly come (I have not mentioned it to any of the rest)
Dear good woman she was talking about you the other day and said she was
so sorry that you did not go to Ludlowville that time that the tears came
in her eyes when we passed the house – I am not sorry that is unless you
had enjoyed yourself more than I did – Mrs Seward is an excellent woman
it takes a long time to discover all her goodness of heart – She showed me
all the little peices that Cornelia sent her of her little boys frocks and a
lock of his hair which was very beautiful – She never talks about Cornelia
without shedding tears – Tomorrow I am going to spend the day with Lockey –
I think you will like Lockey she is very plain, good hearted and perfectly
sincere in every thing she says or does – I have never enquired how Polydore
conducts now because I knew not who to ask – I have never seen any thing
improper in his behaviour – he appears to be extremely fond of little Mary –
George is the same as ever I do not think the suavity of his manner increases
at all – I believe he is good hearted with all his bluntness — Well here
I am at the bottom of the second page and have not said a word in answer

to your last letter which I recieved on Wednesday too late to answer it by the next
days mail because we had a visit to make that day – All this I have told
Henry and he has told you if you have seen him – I remember the rainy Sunday
well, which you describe as well as Irving himself for aught that I can see – I
had a brisk fire in my room and sat up before it all day – Augustus and Sarah
lay on the carpet some of the time beside me – What did you do on the fourth we
had a wonderful still time here — Well I dont know what will take place next if
Bronson and Eliza Horner get married – this is so different from any thing I should have
dreamed of – I cannot divine the motive of either party – I was so sure Bronson
was waiting in the hope getting a rich wife – How does Mrs Hamilton feel about
Mr Lansing’s going to Utica – I suppose his supporters consider this shuffling
conduct of his to be the result of persecution – Lansing knew that he had outlived
his popularity this I suppose determined him on leaving – I think Dr Smith must
rejoice – Do you see the Dr’s wife in these days – or has she not forgot that she
was instrumental in spoiling your shawl – I do not think I shall go to Kingston
to see Marcia the people here are all too much engaged for any one to spend [hole]
to accompany me I shall not say any thing about it – This week is [hole]
I wish you [ could ] see how many men eat dinner here to day it is quite [hole]
curiosity beside [hole] harvesters there are four carpenters building a new woodh [hole]
Mr and Mrs Armstrong Lockey’s father and mother have sent word they are coming
to tea – I have been making cake which unfortunately got pretty well scorched
in baking – Will you send me the receipt for making sponge cake and
Betsy Browns tea cakes – they make cake here so often (on account of making
such small quantities, economy) that I would like to assist but cannot make
any kind of cake let the necessity be what it will without a receipt –
I cannot tell you what I have done but I can tell you what I have not
done since I have been here. I have not taken out of the trunk the book
that contains Berdans letters, I have not unfolded the linen for Henry shirts and
my muslin cape which I was to finish still remains in the top of the trunk
I have not spent three weeks at Goshen and hardly think I shall spend one. I have
not spent two weeks at Kingston and hardly think I shall go there at all
Augustus has not learned his letters and Sarah as not learned to
write – So much for my calculations. Tell Fran that Augustus says
he prefers the little black kitten he cannot give his reasons for his choice
Although it is only two oclock our company will soon be along and
George is waiting to mail this letter – if you dont come down with
Henry I will not love you any more for a long time, your own Sis Frances

Florida
July 13^th
Mrs Lazette M. Worden –
Auburn —
Cayuga County —