Tuesday Dec 11^th e
My dear Henry, I received your Wednesday letter
yesterday morning. I shall not burn it as you re-
commend but will take good care of it. Our latin has
not progressed very well the last week. Augustus head
has troubled him very much, it is better now from
the application of a remedy advised by Mrs Dean.
She spent the afternoon with us Saturday. She is
suffering from the effects of the pressure- has no
engagement for the next six weeks- her daughter from
Schenectady has come and brought two children to stay
an indefinite time- her husband having gone to the
South in pursuit of employment- within a fortnight
she has been confined with her third child. The support
of all this family is added to Mrs Deans so that she
finds it difficult getting along. She wished me to
supply her with plain sewing or knitting. I had already
engaged all my work and had numerous applications
for more, but I gave her some mittens to knit for
the little boys. Yesterday Harriet came- she wanted
3$ in money to buy clothes for Willis- of course offered
to work for pay when she became able. I let her have the
money. How much do you pay Nicholas a month
he has already had 10$ beside $5-25 for oats, he
is almost as uncommunicative as William was he
seems to be honest and industrious so I will not quarrel
with his surly humour, though I wish he had a little
of Harriet's obliging disposition. Mr Rathbone sent
his sleigh here yesterday I did not like it well enough
to keep it- it is very small and rather shabby. I would
prefer a good lumber box. We have not snow sufficient
for sleighing yet. We rode to church Sunday and found

the wheeling very good. Mr & Mrs Tifts only daughter a girl
of 17 was buried Sunday, she died of either the typhus
or Scarlet fever, she was their only child it is a severe
affliction. Mrs Tift lies low with the same complaint.
I went yesterday with Clara to see Mr Smith (Richard)
who I heard was very ill. Mrs Smith said he was
better but confined to the house I did not see him
he has for some weeks had the rheumatism in his feet
so that he has been unable to go out, with this he
has had slight intermitting fever. Mrs Smith feels
very anxious to know whether Henry will be retained at
Westfield longer than the 1^st of January, said that Henry
did seem to expect it, of course I could afford her
no information. I called at Mrs Millers on my
return, she was dreading the approach of the New Year
as Isaac will then leave. After tea I went in to
see Mrs Hills– had an agreeable evening though it was
rather too cold for comfort, she has a coal storm
in her sitting room– not Notts– It may be a good
patent but the fire burned none last night. We
talked about Miss Sedgewick and Harriet Martineau and
Stone and animal magnetism– and a little about
our neighbours but much less then I should any-
where else. Mr Hill's partner has died (at Seneca
Falls) and left a wife and family– which event called
forth a rather excessive expression of sympathy from
Mrs Hills. Mrs Dean was there - I came home before
nine and thereby lost the pleasure of meeting Eleazer.
Her little girl looked pretty but is so exceedingly timid
that she will not allow a stranger to speak to her. Mrs B.
Fosgate came here one day last week and brought her little
girl with her– she is very pretty & so meek and quiet that
without exhibiting any extraordinary degree of intelligence

she cannot fail to attract the attention and win the affections
of all who see her. Perhaps she is more interesting to me
being of the same age our dear Nealy would have been.
The little boys were so pleased that they spent the whole
afternoon playing with her and when she went home were
so unwilling to part with her that I promised to borrow
her, some fine day, for this amusement. The coffin
of our precious one has been removed to the side of
Grandma's- the stone is hewn and all is going on according
to your direction. I believe Pa was there at the time the
grave was opened but I have heard nothing except from
Peter. I have no letter from Lazette this week. Yesterday
I received the Presidents Message and a prospectus of
the Congressional Globe under Samuel Birdsall's
frank. I hope I appreciate the compliment, but my
weak eyes will not allow me to read the message
more than I have done already- and I have no intention
at present of subscribing for the Globe. I was very
much entertained with your criticism of Davis life of Burn.
You invite me to read it just as it were possible for me
to do so but I must reserve that gratification until
you come home dearest and read it for me. Pa brought
the book home two or three weeks ago but like others it
remains a sealed book to me- the little boys usually
read a few pages each, every evening but of course their
reading is confined to books suited to their comprehen-
sion, not those which I should select to read myself.
Augustus and I have been so unfortunate as to select
the same day to write you a letter so you will receive
them at one time. Please to remember me to Marcia
and family- your own Frances-

William H. Seward
Westfield
Chautauque County
Dec 13Auburn, NY
hFrances A Seward
December 11, 1837