eAuburn Thanksgiving evening
My dear Augustus,
I have seldom allowed a
letter of yours to remain a week unanswered
but my time has been unusually occupied –
In addition to other cares Maria has been
very sick for the last two weeks so that
much of my leisure time has been
occupied with her – She is still very
sick and perfectly destitute her
husband having gone off last Spring
and left her with the care of two
children – Frederick came home quite
unexpectedly last Saturday – how often
I have thought to day how happy
I should be to have you too at home
on Thanksgiving day – Union College
seems to be very munificent in the
matter of vacations – The next term
does not commence until the 8^th
of Jan – Clarence returned to Geneva
after remaining at home one week
after he came back from Orange
County – he found it very dull
here alone and was pleased to
return to the society of his fellow

students – Your father went to Cooperstown
yesterday – I am afraid he will have
some difficulty in reaching his place
of destination – we had a heavy fall
of snow last night with high winds
which must have obstructed the rail
road – then 30 miles in the stage
over roads almost impassable from
mud before this fall of snow which
has no tendency to improve the travelling
Our winter seems to have commenced in
good earnest – we have had almost incess-
ant rains until this week –
You have probably seen a notice of the
death of Mr Orton who was accidentally
drowned in the creek last week – The
night was very dark, it is supposed that
he stepped off from the bridge which
leads to the new woolen factory
where he had been on business – He
has left a wife and five children
it is a very melancholy event –
I am writing in the library where
Frederick is reading Grandpa to sleep –
he is reading the constitution of the State
and you must not be surprised if I
write down some of the articles–
Willie lies upon the couch asleep

Sister who has been rather indisposed
for a day or two was ^so^ much engaged in
resisting Eliza's attempts to put her to
bed that I could not write in the
nursery – Aunt Clara is well – I have
not seen her this week on account of the
unpropitious state of the weather.
Willie has tried in vain to persuade
Grandpa that it was a very pleasant day
for a drive – Walter Cary was here
yesterday – he has been to N York Boston
&c previous to commencing the practice of
medicine in Buffalo – He is now in
his 28^th year – he has had every facility
afforded him and I hope will succeed
in his profession – He says he has no inten-
tion of getting married for some six
or eight years yet – his father and
mother are rather anxious to have
him hasten the period – Lucinda Cary
remains with her Aunt and Uncle yet –
Sarah, her husband and child at boarding
or the hotel – Aunty and Frances were
well the last letter – Aunt Clary
joins us in love to you – A Dieu —
your affectionate Mother
Who is to preach for you in place of Mr Parks? We
have no clergyman yet –

Cadet Seward
U.S. Military Academy
West Point
AUBURN N.Y.
NOV 27