Friday morning April 14th 13th
My dearest Henry. I intend my letter shall
reach New York soon after yourself. I do not
get any letter from you yet, we heard on
Tuesday of your detention on the railroad. I
felt very thankful that the avalanche did
not discend upon your heads, you know I
always travelled that part of the road with
fear and trembling. Tuesday was a cold unpleasant
day I had our vines and tender shrubs covered
since which they have remained in that sutuation.
Wednesday I sent Nicholas for Miss Eunice Francis
but Miss Eunice Francis chose to be not ready
to obey my summons and told Nicholas that
he could come for her again next Monday[ . ]
Thinking this not a very modest requisition
in the present state of the roads I concluded
to dispense with the pleasure of submitting
myself to the controul of Miss Eunice
Francis for the next year, and have just
indited an epistle to said Eunice saying I
will release her from her engagement. In
my extremity and against my better judgement
I have consented to take Irish Mary again
with a faint hope that she may have improved.
I do not know what this hope is based upon
certainly not my twelve years experience
with Peter, but I doubt whether Clara leaves

if she does not we can get along. Yesterday though
the day was cold and raw and I far from well[ . ]
I went with Clara to call upon Mrs Theodore
Hamilton, she was out, we saw the old lady
who is very much grieved about the lonely
situation of her son, it may be uncharitable
but (I have wasted a great deal of sympathy in
my day on widows and widowers) I could not
suppress the thought that poor Mary's place
would sooner or later be supplied, however
Frank is affectionate and I have no b doubt
now, feels his wifes death to be a severe
affliction. Theodore and his father were there
they all made particular enqueries about you.
I came home with an increased headache
and spent the remainder of the afternoon with
Mrs Dean who came to take tea with us.
She was very happy, her daughter having just
recieved a letter from her husband inviting
her to meet him at Schenectady the 1 of May[ . ]
Besides Mrs Dean's prospects of employment for
the Summer are very fair maugre Mrs B.—s
objections. To day is still cold and unpleasant
it is good Friday but I do not feel well
enough to go to Church. My head continues
to be very much distressed, more ^severe^ pain
and fewer intervals than I have had formerly[ . ]
This morning I arose after a very uncomfortable
night with with one side of my head so sore
that it is painful to move my eyes, the
chords of my neck still trouble me, but
there is no use dwelling on evils for which

there seems to be no remedy.
Dayton has brought the frames for the vines
and put the arch of over those by the
front door, it has a bad effect from the
street looking like a toll gate by the
side of the house. I think you will have
it taken down but I have not interfered,
he is now engaged in making a support for
the raspberries, his work looks strong but
is far from being light and airy as
be, shall I have the new frames
and by whom?. Nicholas has [ take ] [hole]
chairs to be painted.
I am just now as much perplexed as [hole]
Aunt Charity was to know what my neighbours
mean. They have been actually chopping down
all the [ sh ] ade trees in Mrs E Hills court-
yard. I would not have disfigured the
place so for twice its value, the house
look naked at flat enough, what can
be the motive? I have no letters from
Lazette this week. Our little school goes on
as usual. Sanford is a very nice young
man, he is so kind and gentle with the
boys and withal so unweried in his exertions
to make them thoroughly understand their studies
that I am much pleased with him.
I said nothing to you about going to Florida or Cornelia's.
I wish you would mention to your mother that I shall
not want Mary Wright this Summer if at all. I
intended to have written this long ago. I hope you will
try to see Cornelia I have no doubt she would gladly meet
you at Philadelphia. I wish you could persuade her

to come and see us this Summer. I saw so little of
you while at home that I left a thousand things unsaid
which I think of now. If you see Mary Kurt make
my affectionate remembrance acceptable. I hope to hear
from you tomorrow. your own Frances.
Wiliam H. Seward
Care of the American Life &
Trust Company.
New York.
AUBURN
APR
14
N.Y.
18 2/
hFrances A. Seward
April 14, 1838