Auburn Saturday May 22
My dear Henry,
I am again at the home of my
Father, the home which your love has
beautified and which I hope will in
time become a haven of rest to you also –
Every thing is green and beautiful beyond
my anticipation & though much remains
undone the garden is in tolerable order.
I find many things about which I want
your advice but with the knowledge
I have of the continual draft upon
your time and patience I feel un-
willing to ask you to share my cares –
I remained with Fred and the Kossuths
until Thursday morning – and left
Albany at 11 oclock to come home to prepare
to receive them here – Charlie Williams
with his smiling face came with me
as far as Utica, where I dined. We reached
Auburn at 1/2 past 6 oclock, found Dennis
and Johnny waiting at the Depot

[top Margin] same thing I should think it almost unpardonable
as it is I prefer that a man should decline voting
while sitting in his place to avoiding it by being away –
Your own Frances

It was very sad to feel that there
was no possibility of meeting
Grandpa on the side walk, to
miss him in his room, and at
table – I hardly knew how to employ
the first half hour which had
always been given to him – but many
loving faces gathered about me and
I was cheered by the warmth of
my welcome – They all say I look
very thin and very ill – I am
not very ill and when I get rested
presume I shall appear less so – At
nine oclock a telegraph message from
Madame Pulszky informed me that
owing to the continued indisposition of Kossuth
they had determined to go directly to
Niagara and would defer their visit
to me until their return. In the mean
time the citizens are making an effort
to give him a public reception – I believe
it is now understood that a room is to
be provided at the Hotel for Kossuth to
receive his visits while I am
to entertain them as private guests

Mr Simonton came to see me yesterday
he had come on in advance supposing
they were to pass the night with me – I
sent by him a letter to Madame Pulszky
renewing my invitation to them all –
Simonton thought they would remain about
four days at Niagara – the people of
Rochester are about waking up and will
tender him a public reception so that
it will probably be the latter part
of next week before they come here –
After due consideration I think it best to send
Willie to Mr Brown’s school – he has resumed
his intercourse with Charlie Stow – they are
inseparable – now though Charlie is not
a bad boy he is exceedingly frivolous and
being two years older than Willie he exercises
much influence over him – Mr Brown
has 20 boys – I think it will benefit Willie
if he cannot study himself to be with
others when studying is made a matter
of importance and play only a recreation –
I think it is better for him to be entirely out
of the village and with a family where
he can find amusement for the evening

without seeking it from home – He requires
some regular discipline which my own
interrupted mode of life has prevented
me from exercising – He will be in no great
danger from proximity to the lake because
now with all the caution I have and he is
frequently on the lake in a boat – All things
therefore considered it seems to me the best I can
do – What think you? – I have sent to day
for Jones to see if he will undertake the porch –
As much as I love our church I fear sometimes
they will drive me away from it – It seems to
have been the town talk this Winter that Mr Ayrault
would not venture to have the remains of our
honored father taken into the Church until he
had consulted the Bishop – Our father has done
more than any man in the community towards
making the church what it is, he never failed
to contribute liberally to ist its support when all
others have vascillated – He was an honest upright
man, irreproachable in morals – if the church
which he has fostered could hesitate about
rendering ^to him^ this poor tribute of respect I can
no longer have any sympathy in his communion
This I feel constrained to tell Mr Ayrault – while
I am willing and shall feel glad to hear any
explanation which will relieve the hideousness
of the present aspect of the affair – I am afraid
you will hardly find time to read my long
letter – I have yours up to Thursday – I am very
sorry Charles Sumner did not vote against the
Collins Steamers instead of not voting at all – Were
it not that our other friend had once done the