Sunday Feb 28^th
My dear Sister,
I am really anxious about
you – no letter has come this week – I fear
you or Frances are ill – I shall keep
this until tomorrow – perchance one may
come before that time – I went to church this
morning and heard a sermon read by Mr.
Foote – we have no nearer prospect of
having our pulpit supplied – The people
do not seem pleased with Mr Bowles
generally, particularly the gossiping women
he will not probably recieve a call
were he willing to exchange parishes
which it seems strange he should be –
Caroline Smith enquired when Frances was
coming out. Wednesday evening I went
with Clara and Catherine to the Misses
Sherwood's – it was dull enough – abundance
of presbyterian divines &c &c – the people
amused themselves by sauntering about and
looking wearily at their neighbors – I
am really at a loss to determine
whether the introduction of dancing at
parties has had a beneficial tendency
or not – when there is none every

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Mrs Smith calls upon me but over
a year – she and her
daughter are equally illnatured and mischievous – At
present they are in great fear of losing John Clary who
is the only person who has for some years paid Frances
any marked attention – I have a letter from
Fred

x

Frederick Seward

Birth: 1830-07-08 Death: 1915-04-25

this morning –Fanny

x

Frances Seward

Birth: 1844-12-09 Death: 1866-10-29

and Willie

x

William Seward

Birth: 1839-06-18 Death: 1920-04-29

are well –
I have a new girl who though she knows

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nothing about cooking is much more agreeable than Bridget
Bridget is still in the village doing all the mischief she can she

appear determined that the party shall be
dull – but perhaps something else con-
tributed to the produce that effect – the supper
was very excellent and abundant – I came
away before it came off as Mrs Pitney
had requested me to watch with her again
that night – I felt it to be rather soon
but could not refuse – she has had no
return of inflammation and though very feeble
I think may recover from this attack if her
strength is not all consumed by blisters and
cathartics – Mrs Salisbury I fear will be
obliged to go home – they will get no nurse
while she stays – she is very delicate entirely
unequal to the arduous duties which she
has assumed – – I have been all the week seeking
a woman to take Bridgets place the one I engaged
disappointed me – I have not asked Bridget
to remain – I know she would but there are
so many objections to her that I prefer
being alone awhile to keeping her – I have
engaged a coloured woman to wash and iron
this week – my other girls ought to be able
to do the other work – I heard Maria
was going to move to Utica – she has not been
here since she was sick – I sent word
to her to come before she went away
Mary has been badly burned – her clothes

took fire while Maria was out of the house –
I hope when you write again you will say
something about Mrs Miller's broken arm
she enquired if I had informed you –
She reproached me with going to a party
during Lent and was very indignant
when I informed her that I had not
adopted the Roman Catholic tenets on that
subject as our Church had generally –
When will men and more especially women
cease to be "so righteous and so holy" that
they will have "naught to do but rail about
Their neighbours faults and follies"
Have you ever waded through Festus – I have
not but read some occasionally – it is spending
a great deal of time to obtain some fine thoughts.
Mrs Maury is reviewed very severely and
I think very justly by the Tribune – I will
extract one or two sentences – "Mrs Maury here exhibits
herself at full length as a clever, busy, showy, superficial
woman – – – She reports without scruple such
parts of her conversation with our leading Statesmen as
suits her purposes; which are two –– commendation
of Loco-Focoism and exaltation of herself – – – – – –
That Mr Calhoun should be her beau ideal of a Statesman
is most natural; that C. J. Ingersoll should be "my [ gurdian ] "
with Buchanan and Van Buren among her idols, is quite
explicable, if not so creditable to her taste – but her
admiration of Clay – J. Q. Adams Webster Seward &c

is unnatural and repulsive – She who does not love liberty
for its own sake, and seek to extend it to all
Human kind wherever born or however coloured,
has no reason and no right to express admiration
of J. Q. Adams or W. H. Seward" – "We dismiss
the book with with profound disgust and aversion" –
Wednesday morning – I have waited until now
to get your letter – it came yesterday afternoon –
Serene and Clary were here for the evening and
to tea – Serene has come out to see her mother
and try to arrange and repair her wardrobe
Mrs Fosgate is very crazy – does not know her half
the time – it makes Serene very unhappy –
She remains the until Saturday – wishes very much
to see you – I am glad to hear you are all well
I was invited to Mrs R. Howes Monday evening
intended going but had the headache – I
suppose I did not tell you about Mrs Smith visits
to Clara though I thought I had – a week
or two ago she sent word she was coming to take
tea with Clara and thereby prevented her going to Seneca
falls with Henry – The object of her visit was undoubted
to ascertain whether Frances was engaged to John Clary
She enquired very abruptly of Clara if that was
the case – Clara said "O no I dont think she
is engaged to him" – Mrs Smith immediately
caught at the emphatic word and enquired to whom
then she was engaged – Clara replied she did
not think she was engaged to any one but Mr
Howell was very attentive to her – She enquired
the name over once or twice and asked if he
was a son of Jude Howell – this was all that
passed except some illnatured observation about
Frances staying here so much which Clara
will not let me write – This was more than
sufficient foundation for Caroline's report to Clara
Darling – I am thankful that

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is making Eliza

Unknown

a great deal of trouble I have never known
a person so thoroughly evil ––