Letter from Rachel B. Stevens, dated 1862-03-16

Tabor was married last week to Emeline daughter of Barney Snow of Montpelier. I heard that fifty couple were invited to the wedding - but do not know how it came off - We expect Ann at home this week - I think she will be almost homesick - it will seem so tame - so many gone - I hope thee will see Sarah Steward - she kindly offered to take a small parcel to thee - they went sooner than she told me - I did not think it worthwhile to trouble her with a letter the mails do business so cheaply & reliably.

The reasoon of my sending the blank paper was I had just written thee & thought I might as well send nearly as much as the law would allow - Our Superintendant did not attend town meeting & made no report - he was reappointed - I can not learn as he visited many of the schools - & got though with his own rather hard - He attended Austin's wedding & the ball.

Unle Timothy is getting quite smart. Aunt Dagget died at her brother Allen Tobey's last week - Uncle & aunt Orcutt left for Stowe last 4th day - we got along as well as I expected - they do not feel settled any where & I feel very sorry for they can not be happy - Uncle Nathan wants to walk on his own floor & aunt M. can not be happy alone. I do not think she ought to live alone, she is of too gloomy a temperament - she needs cheerful society

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East Montpelier 16th of 3rd month 1862

My dear Willie

I have just received thy letter of the 11th & as usual was very glad to hear so cheerful news - it appears to be trying to thee to remain behind, but as thee is only fulfilling thy agreement I hope thee will be content while [underline]I[/underline] feel as if thee was a little safer - why did thee not speak of Levi - his poor mother & other friends are suffering with intense anxiety on his account - Charley told them he would write every other day - but they got no letter last night - & were in hopes to hear some thing from thee, respecting him - I have not seen Harrison - but understand he says that most cases where they are attacked as L. was, prove fatal & C. writes that L. had also got the dyptheria - I think thee had as

fine a feast of letters as I had when I returned from Ferrisburgh - I believe there were eight that I had not seen to me & others of the family - one from Moses of goodly length - Oh such a storm as we are having - it has snowed about forty hours & to-day the wind has blown some, but not very hard - this near two feet of snow added to what J. S. Adams said - "that it was any where from 4 1/2 to 100 feet deep," will give thee some idea of the way blockading is done in Vt. we did not try to go to meeting to-day - Thomas went to Horace's, to see how he was getting along & staid several hours - Mary told me she had a letter begun to thee - but she may not have found time to finish it - on fifth day H. went up on the crust to see J. Lewis - who I presume thee has heard has been very sick with typhoid fever he found him better & returned home coming most of the way on a land sled - said he came nearly over the river - on sixth

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day morning he went in from the barn & said to Mary "come let's be children again for a little while & slide down hill" - so they took Mary on the sled & went - Duran & Ellen & several others joining them - they went in "fine style" a few times - but then with Melissa on the sled behind him, his foot hit a small drift, which dislocated his hip, they drawed him to the house & to his bedroom door, where he remained on the sled till they got Kellog from Plainfield & Chandler from the village, when they put him onto a bed in the sitting room & administered chloroform & set it - he appears to be doing well - but of course feels pretty bad to be thrown out of his business at this busy time & just as his payments are coming due - but he bears it well - so does Mary - poor child she looked very pale that day - but Thomas says she is pretty smart now -

J. C. Tabor is 2nd select-man and juryman - court is now sitting - Nat.

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Thomas brought Jane to the first evening's exhibition & she came here & staid till the 2nd. I had a good visit with her - she is a pleasant little girl - She went to Austin T's wedding & to the ball with Alonso Snow -

Eben's wife has got quite smart I believe. Jesse & Lorinda I hear have nearly completed a trade with a man in Williamstown exchanging their mill for a farm -

Ann writes that there is a report there that Blanchard cheated government in some way - but I guess it is a mistake - Abby was a little better the last I heard -

I suppose a great many feel pleased to hear that Freemont is again in the field he, having won the name of Pathfinder they give him the mountains -

It seems now as if a grand [rush?] was being made & the crisis must be near -

For weeks past the story of [Davidson?] & Roanoke &c have been told again & again but the last journal seemed a little new - the President's message & the advance of the grand army of the Potomac - If Mc. C.'s strategy is the cause of this bloodless occupation of the enemy's strong hold - as aunt Polly [Wring?] said of a Dr who prescribed for her, brandy & loaf sugar "he shall be my Dr.

Why do we not hear a word from Henry does he like his situation? It seems strange to me that he left the other if he could have kept it - as it must have been pleasanter.

How does Foster treat him? & how do all the boys get along? Levi sent word to Jane in a letter to John Gallison's boy, that Mac. was 5th Sargent - is Levi promoted by Isaac's leaving?

Thee is very good to write & I hope thee will not grow weary - Thy own loving Mother -