Bargain Town, Nov^r 30^th
My very dear Mama,
Yours of the 26^th came safely
to to hand this evening — the shortest time I ever received
a letter from home — I am a thousand times obliged for it,
it is such a pleasure to me to hear from you all —
Dr C. has been at home a week last Saturday — he was
in perfect health & I never saw him look better than
when he came home, but next day was Quarterly Meeting
& he sat in the door, & took cold — had a terrible chill & has
been very sick, he is much better now, left home this
morning for Bridgeton Court, as a witness —
Mahlon likes the West very much, was at Cincinatti, — found
them going & returning all well, & they say (for they write
often) that they have a family of thirteen & are the happiest
family in the world — & Mahlon says they live very nice
& in possession of more solid enjoyments than they possi could
call their own in N.Y — Saw his little nieces, well —
went out to St Louis — bought a farm of 160 acres
near Jerseyville, 40 miles from St Louis, & 12 from the
Missisippi River, as beautiful land he says as ever lay
under the Sun. he says if I had been willing to go there
he should have staid, and made arrangements for our
convenience, this winter & come on for us in the Spring —
But when I think of leaving my Parents, aged & infirm, to go
such a distance I must leave them forever, I cannot say yes
though I do believe, it would be better for us than to stay here.
the society is good, schools excellent, & a growing & flourishing
country — I think Mahlon is serious in hoping after a while
to obtain my consent to remove, but I cannot give it yet.
M— expected to have returned by way of Hillsborough,
but could not, on account, of the stages being full & he
could not wait — it was so late he came home by Pitts-
-burgh instead of the Lakes — he is delighted with his
jaunt — We are well, except colds which we all have bad enough,
dismal cold & dreary — provisions are so nigh & scarce, that
it makes me think of plenty in the far West I thank you dear
Mama very much for the butter — poor tub butter is 25 per lb —
I had a letter from G. W S. some time since which I sent to Papa
perhaps he never received it — he complains bitterly of his bondage,
but he bears pretty well, he says he will not endure it much longer,

and I am sure if Papa knew how they managed he would
not suffer G. to be a burden on Dr L— any longer, dear
dear, I can give you no idea on paper, how insulting they
talk to his very teeth, he curls up his lip & says not much
because he loves peace, but he remembers it all, and
says sooner than live so I’ll go to Illinois and dig potatoes,
but I endeavored to persuade him it would not last
long & I do humbly trust his worse than Egyptian
bondg bondage is nearly at an end —
When D^r C— was at Mendham, Wills over heat himself
in the field, & M— was invited in to see him, his Father said
to him after the surprise was over, My Son: take example
by G— he never hurts himself, with such a knowing look
they never lose any opportunity of trying to put him
down — but he will live thro it I hope, & as he says be able
to buy the whole of them yet — he dont write because, he says
they are jealous that he is telling news of them.
It is very late and I write in such haste I am ashamed
of this letter, there is a vessel going to N.Y. tomorrow by
[ it ] I sent to day an order to see if there was anything for
me — I am very very much obliged until I can pay for the
butter more substantially —
Ever your own
Cornelia —
Dear Julia
I am very much indebted for your share in my
correspondence it is a great comfort to me to hear so often &
so much news — I do hope you will still oblige me & not
grow weary in well doing. I am in much haste but I will
write more at length soon — Caroline as she calls herself is
the greatest little witch you ever saw, but I think I shall show you
the original next Spring —
Most sincerely yours
L.C.C—

Bargain Town
N. J. Nov. 30
free
M. D. Canfield
P. M.
Mrs. S. S. Seward
Florida
Orange C^o New York.