Sunday June 28^th –
My dearest Sister,
I find the writing table vacant for a
few moments and will improve the opportunity to write –
Our porch room (chamber) is the office at present –King sleeps
here and Henry and Rogers occupy it with him during
the day – They all came last Wednesday morning just
as we did not expect them – Left Albany Tuesday
at 12 spent what remained of the night at Syracuse
and came here in the morning car – I was in bed
trying to recover from the effects of a sleepless night
Willie and Fred having kept me awake all night –
Henry looks sick and care worn – he coughs more
than I have ever known him to do before – but refuses
to take any remedy – he has a constant succession of
visitors of all descriptions men women and children –
he is more constantly occupied than when at Albany –
Jennings is to come here this week – – it
is a tavern let me be where I will – I think
dear Clara will not be sorry to have my visit
a short one – I know nothing of Henry’s movements
further than that he is here and does not purpose
going west – how long he will remain and whether
his suit continue with him the whole time I
am wholly unable to ascertain – I received your
letter Friday but have not had a moment of time
to answer it since – Helen’s sister is very raw

material to attempt to make a chambermaid of – conse-
quently Maria has half the work to do and all the
part of waiter to perform so you may imagine how
much I am confined with Willie – It is so much
easier entertaining company at Albany that I wish
I could do it all there – beside I feel all the time
that I am making Clara so much trouble which
she might otherwise escape – Henry says he left them
all well at Albany – Blatchford went to New York
the day he came away – Henry was to have taken the
morning car but the clique from New York came
up to breakfast and kept him at home – I do
not learn from him when Blatchford will leave
presume the time is still undetermined – With respect
to his letter which I advised him not to send he
told me the one he sent was the same in substance
except the two last paragraphs I have it and
will bring it along when I come but do not think
it worth while to send it – I have also a letter
from Dr Canfield in which you figure so conspicuously
that I will bring that with me also – I presume
Dr Beigler will be along soon you know he expected to
make a number of visits along the road – I hope
he will come here for my headache is coming on
again and I have no medicine – I am never
sick without wishing that there was a homoepathy
physician living here – Dear Freddy has suffered greatly
with the toothache – after lying awake two nights he
went over to the dentist alone to have his tooth

extracted – it was the last double tooth on the lower jaw
You may imagine my surprise when he returned with his
eyes suffused with tears and told me that the tooth he
had had drawn was ^one^ the second set – there was no
disputing the point when he exhibited an immense tooth
with two enormous prongs – it hurt him badly but he
bore it like a man and has had many commendations
for his courage – the tooth had it remained in his head
would undoubtedly have ulcerated in a short time so that
it was well it was taken out – he says I must tell Aunty that
he intends to write now his tooth dont ache any more –
He and Augustus are talking much about the 4^th –
we have gunpowder explosions very frequently as a
preparative – Augustus went the other day with McClallen
to shoot and brought home a number of pigeons – he
also accompanied McClallen and Blatchford – he has
a gun of his own and is said to be a very good marks[ man ]
Well I would not have believed it once, but boys
will grow into men let their mothers be ever so timid –
Tell cousin Frances that the boys would make her jump
very frequently if she continues to be afraid of fire crackers –
– Henry brought my bonnet which I believe I told you I
left in an unfinished state at Mrs Harris’s – it is not the
thing at all – is coarse and ill shaped – there is
nothing here or I would send it back again – this is
one of the grievances which I have much pleasure in relating
to you – you are sensible that it is a just claim upon your
sisterly affection – I have returned no visits yet except
Mrs Hackley’s who left town yesterday – Hackley

finished his last sermon this afternoon – we have all been
to church once. King has just come up to his room he
is very handsome and exceedingly agreeable – he seems so
amiable that I do not wonder Mrs Ellicot likes him
so much – It seems to me that I have not written half
I intended – I must look your letter over again
Monday morning – I have striven in vain for a few moments to
complete this letter as I wished but they come not — Garry is
added to our family – McClallen King Rogers and Gus have gone
fishing – Henry goes on Friday to Cherry valley – King leaves
here tomorrow—
Mrs Alvah Worden
Canandaigua

[right Margin]
I will put the string in the letter the knot is the length of one
sleeve. Your own sister – The escape of the convict Lett

x

Benjamin Lett

Birth: 1813-11-14 Death: 1858-12-09

occasions quite an excitement —