Auburn Oct 16^th
My dear Augustus,
I was glad to receive
your letter which came two days ago
it is always pleasant to be assured
by your own hand that you are well —
I have forgotten whether I had received
Fred's second letter when I wrote last
to you — he wrote very cheerfully
and I presume has recovered from his
homesickness as it is now more than
two weeks since I have heard from him
The freshman class at Union College
is always very small most of the
students there enter sophmore — I think
Fred said it was larger than usual
this term — West Point must look
charmingly at this season of the year
I am glad to see you admire Au-
tumn scenery — it is indicative of a
healthy turn of mind — Some years
ago when I was so long ill and
my mind in a morbid state I saw
no beauty in the falling leaf no
matter how bright its colour–
Now I see things differently and think

[top Margin]
Your Father goes to Albany

x

Albany, NY

Monday — perhaps to
Florida—

Autumn scenery quite as beautiful as
Spring — With good health and a peaceful
conscience I trust my dear child
you will long have pleasure in looking
upon the works of Him who has made
all things well — and so much to delight
the eye — I believe I told you that
Lewis Miller a cousin of mine from
Romulus was with us — on his way to
the South for his health — he was here
five days — he is suffering with disease
which if it is not now a confirmed
consumption I fear will terminate in that
way — he spent most of his time with
me in the nursery as he was unable
to sit up much of the day — he was
so patient and considerate about the
comfort of others that I often told him
he reminded me of you — he was very
sorry that you were absent — His wife
and child remained at her fathers
he not being able to take them with him.
Samuel Blatchford and his father
have been with us to day — I think
Sam will come here to live your
Father has offered to take him as
a partner but this is not known

at present — He talks of his wife and boy
like a man who has been long married—
Your father went to Geneva this morning —
Grandpa Seward is constantly writing
urging him to come and take charge of
his business especially that school (I
mean " University " ^Institution^ ) which is to go into opera-
tion immediately — Your father is so hurried
with his own business that he cannot leave
at present but thinks he will go to Florida
for a short time in November — He has sold
the farm — I was rather sorry but suppose
it was necessary though he does not get
immediate payment — Aunt Clara is tired
of her boarders — they are to leave this week
I am glad of that as I never wished her to
take them — Grandpa says that young
Daniels married a sister of Pomeroy's
who is in our office — it is the same
Daniels you saw — he is to be a farmer —
I commenced this letter two days ago
have been interrupted so often that until
this time it has remained unfinished
I wish you could see sister Fanny she creeps
all about and walks with the help of a
chair — talks very loud in an unknown
tongue — Willie is well — every day

growing less dependent — he goes frequently to the
office and Post office for his father and does
many errands for me — Anthony has gone
he proved so dishonest and faithless that
I was glad to part with him —
I have a new nurse who I think will be
very useful if she remains she is from
Canandaigua and is now rather homesick
Aunt Clara always joins us in love to you
Your Mother —

Cadet Seward
N.Y. Military Academy
West Point
AUBURN N.Y.
OCT 19