Auburn June 11^th 49 –
My dear Son,
I received your letter dated the
9^th of May in 19 days which is a shorter
time than any yet have come – I watch
the papers anxiously to learn if the Cholera
has yet visited your post – It is increasing
in N. York and every day there are two
or three fatal cases in Albany – Your
father came from Albany for a visit of
one day, Sunday, returned yesterday
morning for another week – No Cholera
at Schenectady yet – How I will wish
you could all be at home – Our family
are well – Aunty Worden has been sick for
a few days but is better – Clarence has
gone to Dundee a place on the Seneca
Lake, to meet his brother Augustus and
family who are there for a visit – He
will be absent all the week – So that
I am alone with Grandpa and the
children – Willie studies now every

day three hours without materially affecting
his eyes – his mind however is more
on ponies than books –
Grandpa and I attended a wedding
Thursday morning – a daughter of Sherman
Beardsley was married to Mr Sartwell
a Merchant in the Village – It all
passed off as usual – the married couple
went away in the cars – The entertainment
coffee, sandwiches cake & ice cream –
Dr. Lathrop performed the ceremony – I
came away leaving Grandpa there – I believe
I was the first to leave –
I saw Lewis Richardson yesterday – He has heard
nothing from his brothers yet – they went
round Cape Horn in the Brig “Minerva” –
Many of the emigrants who went over
land have died of Cholera – some are
returning discouraged – Aunt Clara
is well – her boarder Mrs. Perry has
another daughter – Mr Perry when last
heard from was at Panama –
Your Father sent you the “Life of John
Quincy Adams” last week I hope it will
reach you – I have been very busy

cleaning house since I came home – When
I get through I am going to Canandaigua
for a day or two – Mary Seward writes
that her sister Frances expects to return
with me when I come to Florida –
I promised her mother many years ago
that I would take Frances in ^the event^ case of
her death – Next Winter when I go
to Washington Aunt Clara will come
here and keep house for Grandpa Fred
and Clarence. I have been reading
a work on Cholera which give many
useful hints – Among the predisposing
causes – are cold baths – fatigue – fasting
entire abstinence from animal food – indigestible
food or excessive in quantity – any thing
that depresses the temperature of the
system as well as all stimulants–
In case of an attack – take a drop of camphor
in sugar and water – repeat every 5 minutes
until relieved or until medical advice
can be obtained – I send you the homeopathic
preventives to be taken once or twice a
week an hour before eating – A does dose
of the Cuprum as much as will lie upon
a half dime – A dose of Veratrum 3 globules

Take the Cuprum first – then in four or five
days the Veratrum – Do not increase
the quantity as it might predispose to the
disese disease – All send love
May God preserve you –
Your affectionate
Mother

hWilliam H. Seward
hLieutenant A. H. Seward
5^th Infantry U.S. Army
F^t Towson
Choctaw Nation
Arkansas –
AUBURN N.Y.
JUN 13