Letter from Rachel B. Stevens, dated 1862-04-17

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William B. Stevens Co. Y. 4th Reg. Vermont V. M.

Washington D. C.

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been travelled since the deep snows - so they have only tapped about 200 of the nearest trees - have made about 300 pounds - & now the weather keeps warm without freesing nights - & the ground is not frozen -

Dr Kellog of Plainfield, who attended Billy Patterson died of the same disease last week - he is much lamented - his throat was examined after death & I heard that Dr. Chandler feels less courage than before that it can be cured - I must close as Horace Steward is waiting to take this to the office - Give my respects to Henry - I would write to him - but I have said all to thee that I could do if I wrote another letter - we have heard nothing of the army of the P. for several days - farewell dear boy - be as good as thee has been in letting us hear from thee

Mother

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East Montpelier 17th of 4th mo. 1862

My dear boy

Very glad were we last week to receive letters from thee mailed at Old Point Comfort - 2 for me & one for Ann via. Brattleboro - for we had been told - & read it in the papers that the Soldiers were to send no more letters, but we have had none, come more directly.

We begin to see little spots of bare ground on the side hill - but oh; such piles of snow as we yet have - I think I never saw the like - a robin, however, sits on this queer stone on the corner post of the door yard fence apparrently as happy as robins have been in other years - when there was no snow & no horrid war - Last week on third day eve Ann & I went to Horace intending to stay till fifth day night - we had a pleasant time

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Aunt Paulina & George spent 4th day P.M. with us- next morning Thomas went for us - Hulda Collins & her sister Asenath had come to spend the day - so we came home over the worst road a part of the way but found good sleighing from the river up - we have given up trying to get to our meeting house & so Paulina & George & Mary & Howard came here on first day - & we had our meeting in the east room, Ann sick a bed with the measles - she was taken on sixth day previous - broke out very much & seemed to have all the usual symptoms - first day night we were quite alarmed, her throat was so swollen & sore - fearing the dyptheria. I think she did not sleep at all till about one - it remained bad for 3 days but is now well of [underline]that[/underline], but her eyes are extremely weak & last night we had another alarm, one of them felt as if something was in it - but we could see nothing, but it became so painful & red that we did not know

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what to do - I finally applied an alum cure which seemed to sooth it & she soon went to sleep & rested nicely - they have felt better to day, but she has mostly kept them bandaged - yesterday she intended to have gone back to school - I tell her I think this disappointment must be to teach her charity - which I have sometimes thought she lacked when going to school or college was the theme - she is at this present time smoking tar or trying to - her pipe does not go very well - it is recommended for the catarrh - & also for the dyptheria -

Mary came up with Horace & Howard in a waggon third day A.M. & staid with us till yesterday P.M. this was very pleasant to us all - she wonders why she does not get a letter from thee.

Our sugaring does not seem likely to amount to much - they have not tried to go in to the place with horses - the road to the centre has not

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