p.

deep, that they did not try to get to the
grave yard with horses - but drew the
hearse by hand - We heard that
G. Steward & wife were expected home
yesterday - I want very much to see
them - but the passing is such that
I have not tried to go to meeting for
two weeks - our little meeting house
is deep in the snow & it has been very
bad getting to it before the last two feet
of snow - Thomas went out to uncle T's
this morning & expected to go to North
montpelier after our girl - Hannah
Jennings, this afternoon - Charley
has been out most all day seeing to
the stock - they have 16 lambs - have
had three pairs of twins - one of these
has died, which is the only one, they have
lost - we milk eight cows - one got
hurt some way & died - the first cow
Thomas has lost -

Nelson is getting along well with his limb
but expects to be laid up all summer.

There was a mistake in Ann's last
letter which said the school would close last
week - so Tho' went to the village 5th &
6th day evenings for her & not till today
did we know how to account for it when
I looked at their advertisement & found
it closes next fourth day - I am afraid
thee never will get this my dear boy - R.B.S.

[page break]

[upside down:]

Thomas has drawn thy $7 per month
up to this time -

The package of letters I have put safely away
I strung the handkerchiefs on a string & tied
them to the house & spead them on the snow -

[right side up:]

East Montpelier
23rd of 3rd mo. 1862

My dear Wm.

The box thee sent came to
us very unexpectedly last week all safe.
I wonder thee had not used some of those
linnen rags to wipe thy nose, instead of
such soiled handkerchiefs - I do not
know how thee happened to send those stran-
[ger?] blankets & comfortable - there is a
report here from the Boston journal that
you are all to be prohibited from writing.
I never can be reconciled to this & feel
or hope that it is not so - Mary got a
short letter from Henry last week - he
said that the letters would be fewer -
& necessarily short - & this looks reason-
able - but I do pray that we may be
allowed a little word - how can I bear
it if this is cut off? I hope thee will be
preserved from any rashness & keep out