p.

that thee was exchanged, and what does it mean that thee
is paroled? - & if paroled, why not sent home? We are in hopes
to send the box tomorrow or next day - I do not think it is best to
send any preserves or sirup, it is so apt to be broken up & hurt other
things - cooked victuals I think it also unsafe to send as delays
are so sure - this can make sirup of the sugar - Maria Taber
sends, with her love, the parcel of very white sugar - Sis. Mary
sends the pickles - we have none except those in salt or the soft
sweetened ones - the last I think would not bare the journey - if thee
is afraid these will not keep without vinegar thee can put them into
some sweetened water & I think they will do well - I thought
it not best to put any vinegar in to send - I think it will be neces-
sary for thee to use great caution in thy diet - do be very very careful.
I wish I knew whether thee wants thy valisse - it was sent home
by O.W. Hill - Horace says thy overcoat & blankets are in P.P.
Pilkins storehouse in Alexandria - Hatch sent back one of
the letters I wrote thee in which Thomas wanted I should ask thee
if thee did not want some spending money, as thee had not been
paid off - I want to know what thy business is now, thee speaks
of being very busy - has thee held thy place as Sargent? -

We have had a very pleasant winter, with but little snow - about
two weeks ago, those that began sugaring had a fine run - we only
tapped about a hundred trees after the time had partly gone by - we
made about 100 pounds -

[page break]

There has been a great deal of moving in our vicinity - this spring
Royal Wheeler has bought Charles Templetons farm & Charles
has bought Gardner Stewards - G. S. & family are now at Dr. Richardsons
Fisher Holms has gone to Barre & Daniel Bancroft has bought his
place - George Lewis has taken the Nichols farm & David Benja-
min has gone onto the Willow place - the R. Taber place is without
an occupant & the stock &c. are to be sold at vendue - Diana has
applied for a bill & R. is going down hill - There has also been
a very unusual amount of marrying - Edwin Foster & Fanny Clark
are to be married at the meeting house at ten tomorrow morn-
ing - a general invitation given - Christopher Wing & Mary
Stevens, Eben's daughter, it is thought will soon be united - David
Wing's widow has bought the place by Town's where West Tobey
lived - Parks, who has been the last occupant, bought Royal's
farm - Philips Hill's health has been very poor for a long time
past - He & his wife & daughters & Merrill have moved to Barre
Westley is married to Maria Smith & takes the home farm,
Asa stays with him - John Stone with his
wife & son George - about a year old, have boarded with us this winter
he has chopped some - within a fortnight John has had the lung
fever & Stone junr. the canker rash - the wife is always feeble - we
suspended curtains from the dining room door to the alley door & thus
did off a room for them, where thy lodge & keep their sabbath - the 7th
day of the week - they keep it so strictly that they really look [underline]unhappy[/underline]