Washington Sunday 9th
My dear Sister
This is dear little Fanny's fifth
birth day she is very happy with her presents
a book from me and a silver cup from
her father – It is another rainy Sunday
though not so cold as the last – It makes
me sad to think how lonely you will be
when the boys leave I wish you and
Pa would come too – We shall be very
comfortable here by and by – when we get
the house in order – But here we have been
until this time without furniture – yesterday
the first came – no Friday afternoon –
Dennis went over to Georgetown to expedite
the transportation – All from Auburn is now
here – Lewis Richardson has sustained his
reputation as a good packer – the furniture
was less injured coming all this way than
it was going from Albany to Auburn
though then it was all boxed – The dishes
came pretty safely one large platter 2
plates and one champagne glass were all that
were broken – We as still deficient in many
useful articles purchased at Philadelphia
but shall get along for a week or two

when they will be here – The groceries provided
by Mr Schoolcraft are also here – and a
liberal provision it is – 3 lbs of sugar
all white – 1 of oil – 1 chest of tea – 1 lb coffee
1/4 lb of rice 1/2 lb fish 1/4 lb of syrup – spices –
wine and segars without stint – it is very
difficult to know what to do with them
all having no cellar no garret and no
store room – There are two or three closets
adjoining the kitchen and one room in an
outer building which we use for store rooms –
I am better pleased with every thing than the
back house which is very small and decidedly
unpleasant in many respects – Our Landlord
is so averse to improvements that I think we
shall be obliged to make all alterations ourselves
The house is what is called a single house – a hall
on one side and 2 parlors on the other – one
of these parlors we shall use for the dining room
The hall runs entirely through the house in the
basement – on the other side is the dining room
which will be Grandpa's room and the kitchen
both open into the hall – and into each other –
on the 2^d floor are two large rooms over the
parlours and a bed room at the end of
of the hall which is always warm from the hall
stove – This is Frances room – one of the large
rooms we occupy the other is appropriated
to Fred and the children as a nursery – I don't
know how Fred will relish this community –
There are three similar rooms on the 3^d story
The front one Mr Schoolcraft selected – the
bed room Abbey occupies – and the back

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Sister

room Henry will take for an office –
Mary sleeps in one corner of the kitchen which
is very large – on a portable bed stand –
Dennis in one of the outer rooms over the
outside or wash kitchen – which we use for coal
This will be the arrangement as we have had
no bedsteads all have slept on the parlor
floors up to this time – Who Until Dennis
leaves Charles the waiter goes home at night
then he will take Dennis' bed – I have had one
girl for chambermaid but she went home sick
Mary and Abbey do not wish me to get another but
to hire some woman 2 days each week – As I
have no place for another to sleep I think I shall
be obliged to do this – The ladies here say it is
almost an impossibility to get good female help
I am very glad I brought Mary – She is so far
very contented – I have had three different women
to clean and then Mary and Abby were obliged
to wash all the paint over again – Now our
furniture is here we shall soon have the house
arranged – I shall make no morning visits until
after New Years – my mourning will excuse me –
all these affairs are very systematically arranged in
Washington – There are evidences of refinement in the
society here which I have never found elsewhere
I called Thursday evening at the White House –
saw the President and his daughters but not
Mrs Taylor – I also called on Mrs Sackett
and Mrs Conger to both of whom I was indebted
while at N.Y. & Philadelphia – Mrs Carol
very kindly went with me to a dress maker
which I think will fit me – She is an English
woman born in the same town with E Lytton Bulwer
whom she knows well – Henry Bulwer

expected daily – What do you think of the Boston
Tragedy is it not horrible – I cannot yet
believe that Webster committed the murder
yet circumstances are strong against him –
Frances writes me that she will wait
for Fred – I am sorry to hear Mrs Miller
gets no better or better so little – Give my love
to her – I hope you have long before this
received our letter and the fringe from
Philadelphia if you have not, send to
the Express office – I send for Clara a scrap
which I cut from the Tribune thinking you
may not have seen that number – Whittlesey
whom we saw at Albany had much sport
about the spirit – he acts upon the committee
and hopes to be able to expose the fraud
though I think this doubtful – A part of
the same family are at Rochester who perform at
Auburn– I wish when you write you would
always mention how the Thermometer stands I
have great curiosity to compare the weathe temperature
Henry wishes to send you one of the Washington
papers have you any choice of those we take
the N. Intelligence – Union – & Republic? –
I shall write again when our children come which
I hope they will do safely – I have your
letter with that of my boy – Henry has gone
to Church – Should you have any opportunity except
by express will you send me some large napkins
which I think you will find in the clothes
press lying with some table cloths – I find I brought
fewer than I intended – Love to Clara
Your own sister