Saturday afternoon
My dear Sister,
I suppose by this time you
think I have given up writing for this week
I have so many hindrances that I have
found it pretty difficult to make even this
commencement of a letter – I have been
sick, dear Sister has been sick – the Blatchfords
have come and the Gurnee's are yet here
I have left Adeline in the south room by
herself – My teeth ached one whole week the
last two days I was too sk sick to sit up
a great part of the time – I sent for Dr Robinson
who prescribed the turnkeys – unwilling to
lose the tooth I deferred it a day or two
and finally recovered – Sister took cold, her
bowels were deranged, she was very ill one
day and half sick two – her sickest day
Sam and his wife came – that is they came
the previous evening to the American — Sam
was here a long time – the next morning
at least it appeared long to me who had been
up most of the night and then felt unwilling
to leave my pet for a moment – but Sam
was thinking of his own baby and wife and
house and furniture so he stayed until

[top Margin] Nothing from the boys

x

Frederick Seward

Birth: 1830-07-08 Death: 1915-04-25

– Willie was much
much pleased with his letter – Sister is getting very
fond of Eliza

x

Eliza Tehan

Birth: 1833 Death: 1884-07-25Certainty: Possible

– she says "dida" very plain
I hope Eliza will stay this Winter she is
the best help I have ever had so far – I do not

I apologized and left him promising to call upon
his wife as soon as I could leave Fan
long enough – the same evening he came and
stayed an hour – his whole conversation was
about his own affairs oft times repeated and
yet Sam is sincere and affectionate that
is he is more sincere than people in general
though he lacks the unswerving sincereity ^fidelity^
of my Gus who is unwilling to hear his
friends "evil spoken of" – Yesterday while I
was preparing to go and call upon Sam's wife
Adeline and Gurnee came – after making arrange-
ments for their dinner &c I went on with the
call – a vile muddy walk I had to the
American where I found Mr Gamble who ushered
me into a cold parlour while he took my
card up stairs – Sam and wife soon made
their appearance and took me up to the
nursery – The wife disappointed ^me^ although I had
been very cautious in my expectations – she is
diminutive in size, face and features resembling
Mrs Van Pelt though not so well looking – her
manners appear unformed though she is by
no means diffident, her dress mauvais ton
and yet she was not altogether unpleasing
there was an absence of pretensing and a
cheerfulness in her voice which atoned for

[top Margin] Sam asks about you every time I see him
which is not seldom – He cannot compre-
hend that Fan

x

Frances Chesebro

Birth: 1826-12-12 Death: 1909-08-24

is old enough to have suitors
which I assure him is the case abundantly –

the absence of many pleasing qualities – She does
not seem so old as Sam – has less refinement
for a woman – Her observations were perfectly common
place – Sam thinks her shrewd perhaps I shall
upon further acquaintance – The baby is the
most tiny thing imaginable weighing only 6 1/2
lbs – his skin is white but he has the pug
face of his mother – I did not see him awake
a fat irish nurse of 40 presided over his cradle
Sam thinks her a priceless treasure – the baby
cries all night – at which time the mother does
not choose to nurse it – Sam is very fond of it
says he held it by the fire two hours in the middle
of the night and always gets up in place of
its mother to relieve nurse who never sleeps
at all – she and the baby occupy the room
adjoining that of Sam and his wife – They have
not yet decided upon rooms Gamble charging
just one dollar more for rooms on the 3^d
floor than Ashby does for the same number
on the 2^d – The American being much the
most desirable place for Sam and being nearer
the Church I have no doubt they will pay
that $1 — I have many things to tell you on the
same subject but must defer until you come
and see me which I hope you intend doing this
Winter – Since Sister was so very sick I feel

[top Margin] think she has written home – She wishes
to get a place for her sister

Unknown

in the village
but I d do not think one could be found
of the description she wishes

very little inclined to attempt a visit with
her – I have been much alarmed a day or two
past by Willie, complaining of a pain in his
knee and twice to day he has fallen to
the ground from the suddenness and severity of
pain – it is so similar to the commencement
of Tommy Thorn's scrofulous disease that it has
awakened a thousand painful apprehensions
Opthalmia so frequently precedes other
developments of scrofula and Erysipelas often
attends it – But I will hope my dear little
boy may be spared these afflictions Henry
does not return yet – he has been to Orange
County and is to return again in a month
Mrs Alvah Worden
Canandaigua
AUBURN N.Y.
NOV 8

[right Margin] at which time his father

x

Samuel Seward

Birth: 1768-12-05 Death: 1849-08-24

proposes a publick
sale of all his real estate – Uncle John

x

John Seward

Birth: 1765-06-10 Death: 1847-04

came with him to Albany

x

Albany, NY

and went on
to Chicago

x

Chicago, IL

for f which I am thankful

[right Margin] Clara

x

Clarinda McClallen

Birth: 1793-05-01 Death: 1862-09-05

is
well