Wednesday evening –
My dear sister,
Your letter came last evening
but being written with pale ink in a very
small hand I found it rather difficult
to read it by candle light – you must
not forget that my eyes are not as good
as they were when I was eighteen and
so make your letters a little plainer as
it is not a pleasant thing to keep a letter
all night before you can read it – I believe
with you that the time will come when more
enlarged and elevated views will on the
subject of religion will prevail – it is strange
that men like Mr Wayland will insist
upon remaining upon the "narrow platform"
I seldom attend Church without thinking
how much more a congregation would be
benefited by having some new ideas given ^them^ by their
then ^minister^ on the subject of their moral relations
than they are likely to be by the attempts
to elucidate some knotty doctrinal point
or to explain some part of their faith
which is by no means clear to themselves
Yet this is the fashion of the times – Dr
Channings discourses have destroyed the
little relish I once had for this kind

of teaching – I have been to Clara's this afternoon
found her in bed of course she is not well
but she came to the store with me – the
boarders and their troublesome child I think
will not leave – I hoped they would but
they have prevailed with Mc Lallen to keep
them through the winter – I wish Clara was
as well as she used to be – she would find
it less troublesome perhaps – The weather
has been so exceedingly cold for two days
that I am almost frozen – my plants are
quite – I have to day put up a box of
bulbs &c for you – tulips crocuses white
and tiger lillies – with some rose bushes
chiefly the variagated rose – our white
and yellow roses have not yet made
sufficient progress to divide the roots –
we lost some when the walk was louvered.
Henry went to Albany Monday – I am not
able to tell you about the grapes but will
write when he returns – he will be absent
a week – I hope will see Fred who has
not written yet – Mr Seward is importuning
Henry to come to Florida and take charge
of his business together with the "S. S. Seward
Institution" which he wishes to have in
operation by the 1^st of November – Henry
is expected to find teachers principal
write circulars etc – his father cannot
comprehend the oppressive nature of his own

affairs and seems to think nothing important
but those which immediately concern himself –
Eliza is one of the best girls to work I ever
knew but – and there always is a but –
she is very homesick and I doubt whether she
stays a month – Having so many to deal with
I have better opportunity than you have of deciding
characters among domestics – I think I could
tell you some anecdotes that would astonish
you but perhaps it is as well not to do so now
Dear little Fan is getting more reconciled to her
nurse though she is decidedly of the opinion that no
one compares with mother – Eliza has taught her
to play pat a cake very prettily – she has devers
diverting pranks of her own which make me
wish every day her Aunty could see her – she creeps
like a little spider and walks all about shoving
a chair before her – among other things she seems
to feel bound to pay particular attention to Grandpa
and commences talking very loud when he comes in
I wish you could see the little child sitting in
his lap and looking around in the most complacent
manner imaginable – Willie is well – Fan thinks
him the prince of brothers – he is a present engaged
in piecing a bed quilt – I forgot to say how
much Clara was pleased with the putty toy
Frances sent her so I will say it now –
I saw Leonard to day who came and shook hands
with me on Frances's account no doubt – I was
very sorry Henry could not go to see H. Cook
before he left but he was sick and

harassed until the last moment – Sam is to come
with his family in a week or two - to take
lodgings at the American or Auburn House
for the present – he showed me a dauguerre
of his wife – a plain rather sensible face
I hope I shall like her –
Eliza sews well we are getting along nicely
with our sewing I shall be greatly disappointed
if she leaves me but cannot wish her to
stay if she remains discontented – The box

Mrs Alvah Worden
Canandaigua
AUBURN N.Y.
OCT 23

[right Margin] will be sent to the depot tomorrow
morning – your own sister