Friday morning—Dec 16^th
My dear Sister,
I received your letter yesterday morning
I am sorry to hear you are suffering with "the cold"
I have been very much troubled since you went
away that you do not dress warmer—Why wont
you wear flannel waistcoats, (you are not obliged
to wear them next the skin) or cotton flannel if you
prefer, with long under sleeves of some kind—I
think you would find these with an additional
petticoat, very conducive to your comfort in the
winter—it is these necessary precautions which make
many persons with feeble constitutions appear so
insensible to the cold—Clara and I called to
see Mrs Miller last Friday the only time I
have been out, except to Church, since you left us—
She appeared to be in much the same frame of
mind that you represent Elsie—at any rate in
no pleasant frame—was so dissatisfied with
us for not coming over before that she scarcely spoke

this is so exceedingly childish for a woman of 60 that I
concluded to stay away in future long enough to ensure
a civil reception—It is snowing to day as it
has done more or less every day this week—I have
had letters from both my boys who are well—none
from Clarence yet—I have just finished a letter to Fred
and another to Dr Ward for medicine for Willie—his
medicine has been out for a week—his eye continues in-
flamed and exceedingly weak—he is very busy the whole
time—he and Billy ride together on the sled—He says
he likes 'Albany because Fred stays there so much'—
I wish Fred could come home before the 1^st as I doubt
very much whether Henry gets ready to come immediately
after—There is an answer to the Anti-Duellist in the
Journal of Wednesday—very good—if you do not see it
I will send it—Billy finally succeeded in swallowing
the slate pencil without the aid of a physician—he has
not complained of it since—has tied the present
pencil to his slate lest he should be tempted to swallow
that also—Our girl is rather too silly to make
her good nature available—she has the usual

propensity of avoiding the truth as much as possible—
Maria comes Wednesday's and Saturday's yet—I am glad
Frances has the good sense to appreciate Mr Wood's officiousness
I wish there were some employment provided for old men
who have no families—the want of occupation often renders
people mischevious—Has the young man become an inmate
of the office—I am glad to hear old Mrs Clark is dead
she must have suffered much while living if the diseased
state of her nervous system had not destroyed her intellect—
I should like the 2d Vol of Mrs Jameson but am in no hurry
The cloak is not dyed and I believe the man who is to do
it is still alive—Clara proposes to wait until he recovers—
Shall I send your dress to Smith? Jared Rathbone I
see has lost his little daughter over 2 years of age—
I hear nothing from Mrs Wright—will go and see her if the
weather ever proves suitable—I have seen no one this
week except Mrs Lucas and Mrs Abbot whom we met
at Mrs Millers the day we called—Mrs Lucas was
there to tea—Clara has had the hat remodelled it
is much improved—Last week one day when I had
been busily engaged bringing in furniture from the carriage
house and was unfit to see any one Mr Bowen came
Billy took him into the South room where there was a fire

and called Pa who immediately invited him into the N. room calling
"Frances" in a stentorian voice as he passed the stair way
without intimating who it was that wished to see me—I sent
Abbey to see if the fire was good in the S. room and invite
them back again that I might have an opportunity of adjus-
ting my dress—She had hardly got up stairs before Pa came
again and in a loud angry tone said Mr Bowen was
just going to the rail road—seeing no prospect of
being admitted to my own room I sent Abbey to Mr Bowen
to say Mrs Seward desired him to excuse her, without any
apology whatever—I was very sorry as Mr Bowen had come
over in the stage a very unpleasant day expressly to see me—
but there is no remedy for such things—I wrote Henry a
statement of facts—Love to Frances
your own Sister—
Mrs Alvah Worden
Canandaigua
AUBURN, NY
DEC 16

[right Margin] I asked Willie what I should say to Aunty—he says "tell
her I am a good boy"—