Wednesday afternoon – 2^d AM
My dearest Sister,
Your letter has just come to my
hand and as you seem to fancy that I had
already written I commence this mauger a
violent headache and cold which seems to
be pretty general in its influence. I have been
waiting for your letter – Yesterday was the end
of the week since my last – I have a long letter
from Henry since that time – he remains in New
York – Walter Cary was here to day he came
from Weedsport when he left his father, and
George Leigh on their way to New York – Walter
is returning to College – he only stayed an hour
was to meet his father again at Utica
He says his mother is troubled with disspipsia
and tired of housekeeping – –
Last Friday (after having the cake made a
week waiting for a pleasant day) we sent for
Debby Jane Mrs Beardsley her sister e Mrs Mosier
her sister (an old maid) and daughter – they
all came with some of their husbands –
came at 5 and stayed until 10 by which
time I was completely exhausted and firmly
of opinion that I would never gather together
10 or 12 persons again to entertain again – You people
who talk easily and like to talk have no
conception of the effort that it costs me with

whom it always is an effort to talk to any person
who does not interest me – upon the whole
it wearies me to talk long to any one but
those I love very much like you and Clara
but what can one do – a selfish seclusion is not
right if it were practicable. – I believe it is the
duty of every member of the human family to keep
up some sort of social intercourse – I wonder if
there is any person in the world that feels just
as I do about this – it is an unamiable
trait and yet it does not seem so much for
the disposition as the physical constitution – four
or five hours conversation when I feel any responsibility
operates upon my nerves, produces headache
and a prostration of all energy – I came out
of the room once the other evening to rest
a moment and then I could have sat down
and cryed like a child without being able
to assign any adequate reason – How do you like
the “confessions of a middle aged lady” – I hope you
will favour me with a criticism not of the
style but the sentiments next week – I shall
expect you to devise some way for me to see
in the course of a year the fifty or sixty
families al with which I am on visiting terms
without permanently deranging my nervous system
Miss Powers called yesterday morning to later
learn she is to return to Catskill to day – her
sister Emily is there waiting for her – Mrs Beardsley
does not know how to part with her but thinks
of visiting them this summer – Miss Phebe
Swain was married Monday morning to Capt
Marshall – Capt of a Packet ship between here

and Liverpool – I am told that he is an Americ[ an ]
which surprised me as the family all profess
to have a great contempt for every thing
this side of the Atlantic – Phebe expects to
witness the Coronation – they said the 18^th of Jun
this month – No I do not wish to go
to Europe in one of those steam packets – they
are not by any means as safe as other vessels
I made up my mind not to go in that
way after the wreck of the Home – so you will
excuse my accompanying you though I should
like to be present at the Coronation – We have
now heard a word about the wedding and cannot
learn that they had any guests but Capt Gardner
and Frances – Dr Morgan who has
just returned from New York called the other
day to say that he had my box in charge
but unfortunately left it at Utica – I made
up my mind that it was really lost
this time but yesterday it came along
every thing safe – Henry says nothing about
coming home – his business progresses very slowly
The weather has been so cold that we have
scarcely commenced house cleaning yet – Laura
continues we think improves but as she is always
on the eve of matrimony we are not depending
upon her staying long with us – Mrs Benedict
came home the day we had company and stayed
until yesterday when I took her to Mrs Boyer’s – she
is miserably feeble, emaciated and depressed in
spirits – it distressed me to see her sit all day
and look so woebegone – she wants some occupation
for her mind- we rode as far as Clarksville – I
intended taking her out again to day but it rains –

[left Margin] Did you get the hat and what is it like
Your own Sister –

Mrs Alvah Worden
Canandaigua
AUBURN MAY 3N.Y.