Wednesday Dec 15^th–
My dear Sister,
Your first letter found me suffering
from another attack of neuralgia just
one month from the other – The pain
was rather less intolerable & confined chiefly
to my face head & neck – it was
preceded by a chill & accompanied
with fever – My mouth too is worse again –
I am taking the medicine given me
by Dr Helmuth as to an antidote to the
galvanic action which he says it
is barely possible the plate might produce
in a person of my extreme susceptibility –
I am better to day – sitting up though
feeble – not so much so as a month
ago – I shall probably rally sooner
I have dispatched Fred and Caroline
to return some visits which are begging
to accumulate for the occasion –
Monday I felt exceedingly depressed
all day – not thinking is the precursor

of another attack I thought it was
mere homesickness – In the evening
Mr and Mrs Fish were here – also Charles
Sumner & Charles Francis Adams
Mr Simonton of the Times & some other
gentlemen – I was conscious of being
very dull – In the morning I awoke
after a restless night with violent
pain in my head ^& face^ – which increased
as I arose & dressed myself so that I
was soon obliged to go to bed again –
Dear Fred after he came from the Capitol
came & read “Henry Esmond” for me
until night – Henry had two or three

Unknown at dinner – Fred returns to
Albany tomorrow – I have talked
with Henry about the Little Farm – he
says he is perfectly willing that you
should take g charge of it & do with
it what you think best – He knew
nothing of the back rent but said
he had hoped that the lease expired

next April until I told him it did
not – he then proposed fitting it up for a
new tenant. I thought is not best
to enter into a detail of your plan
as he seemed quite willing to leave it to you –
As for Dennis I give him up – if there
is one thing more than another upon which
I have remonstrated with him it was
upon lending our Wheelbarrow & other
garden implements – It is but a short
time since he promised me that he would
do it no more – Leaving the carriage
house door unfastened was of a piece with
the rest – The defect seems to belong
to at least the whole p uneducated portion
of the Nation – I am glad I left
Nicholas there – I will not trouble
you with all my house keeping trials
here but they are legion – and what
is particularly discouraging Henry has
relinquished his plan of giving up the house
in the Spring as I hoped he would

still I fear from Sumners representation he
would find it exceedingly uncomfortable
any where else – I cannot come again with
such health as I have now – I will
finish this letter when I hear from you
where to send it – Sun Monday 19^th–
I commenced this letter last Thursday
and have since been waiting for yours which
comes this morning – I am glad to hear all is
well as I began to be troubled because you
said you would write again the next day –
I am better – am going to night to hear
Sontag sing – Caroline is lamenting that her
Opera Cloak is not finished – I am glad
I am past those troubles – Now I want you
to get ready to come here immediately – Mr
Schoolcraft goes north some time this
week and returns here about the 10 ^th
of January – I will write to Fred to let
you know in time & if you wish to meet
you at Auburn – Henry is very desirous to have
you come as well as the rest of us – Now
you need not expect to be very comfortable here
but you shall have just what room you please
when you come – Fanny FAS can hardly wait for Aunty
to come – we are crowded enough but you can
bear it for a while as well as I – propose to Clara
to come along – I have written for George & his wife to
make their visit while Mr Schoolcraft is absent
Don’t say you are not ready – The children send much love
Love to Frances – Your own Sister