Sunday afternoon June 3^rd
My dearest sister,
I was very much dissatisfied with
myself last night when I found that Saturday night
had come round again and I had not written to you –
Henry came home Tuesday afternoon – I received a
letter from him a day or two previous saying he
would be here Monday — he was in Orange County
the last twelve days – finding it would take
us much longer time to finish the necessary
writing he concluded to come home and complete it here
to return again to New York when completed –
so that he will only be at home two or three weeks
he says I must tell you that he meant to
have written to you but was too much hurried
also that he did not purchase the forks as
when he left the city he supposed he would go
back again previous to coming home – he will bring
them next time – Cary, Lay and Scammerhorn went
back to New York – Cary came along Friday on
his way home was here only ten minutes his trunk
having gone on in the packet — Wednesday Clara
and I went to see Mrs Brown at Mrs Weeds,
the old Esq and the ‘little Betsy’ were here in the
morning – they are all going to Chicago – Betsy Pitney
also accompanies them– Little Betsy looks very
much as she did ten years ago – is equally agreeable
the Esq grows old — Mrs Brown was out or we did
not see her – Little Betsy is to be left at Williams
I am in hopes Harriet will find her more interesting
than I ever did —

From Mrs Weed’s we went to the Prison to see Mrs Lynds
and Nancy – Mrs Lynds was out (I was glad of that)
Nancy was rather sleepy but Clara thought appeared
just as she used to in old times – Then we called
on Mrs Matthew Watson – it is eleven years is it
not since they were married I have been trying
to go there ever since I attended the wedding
Phebe behaved remarkably well about it did not
say anything about our not coming before –
but seemed to take the visit as a thing of convenience all of which was very unusually agreeable —
Sarah is very low with a disease of the spine
and an abscess — From there it we went to
Judge Conklin’s – found them all at home and
more agreeable than I ever found them before —
The next day Thursday: Miller came again,
again we commenced the interesting pursuit
of house cleaning which bids fair to be an all summers
business with us – Harriet was here Friday we
finished the front and north rooms – the front
room carpet is ruined we could not turn
it, the room which stood in puddles last
New Years has changed the color on the
other side in half a dozen large places
Well I did not cry about it again. While
on the subject of mishaps I must tell you about
the casts – Henry purchased and sent home to
plaster casts for the garden one a flower girl
the other a gardner as large as life – When
they arrived they were both broken the man
badly the girl slightly– We sent them to
a man in the Exchange buildings who makes casts
to be mended – they were mended – the flower

came home unharmed but Nicholas in attempting
to bring home the gardner broke again the
original fracture part of the body falling on
the floor was dashed to pieces – so we have nothing
but the little girl left – we put her on the
south side of the house – she has attracted
considerable company but her admirers being
very modest do not venture beyond the gate
her face is very pretty – purely gaman in its
outlines — Have you seen or heard of “Oliver Twist”
by “Boz”– it is excellent, altogether a different
thing from “Pickwick” but equally good in its way
Henry makes me cry every night over the wrongs
of poor little Oliver– there is a deal of a pathos mingled
with the humour and satire– If you are not in
the way of getting it soon I will send ours as soon
as we finish it but I am obliged to depend upon
others to read it for me and cannot get along as
swiftly as you would – Henry bought me “Scotts life
by Lockart” which I hope to read in the course of the
coming year– What about the blue black silk – is
there any thing pretty at Canandaigua or have you not
looked – They are to be had here plain and figured which
would you prefer– I saw a piece of rep silk at Murphy’s
it is like Mrs Cary’s what do you say to that – Will
you have the goodness to send me the Mirror containing
the Troubadour I cannot get it here – enclose it in a
a wrapper like a newspaper and direct it to me otherwise
it will never come from the office – I could not help
laughing to see “how great a fire a little matter kindleth”— Our
wonderful housekeeper was no other than the Eunice, I mentioned

to you before – Clara in her laughing way said to Mrs Dill that
when she came, she should resign. I never spoke a word on the
subject – the remainder was imaginary— 2 eggs for the
risk– Henry sends his love your sister Frances–
Fred thinks he would like to just see that tabby kitten
once – I asked Blanch yesterday about Serene he says she has never
been sick since she first went down, is coming home in July.
Mrs Alvah Worden
Canandaigua
AUBURN
JUN
4
N.Y.