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it had been hurt so long, that it had begun to knit & it can not be properly set, but will be twisted -
Philander is travelling from his house to Michael's from day to day - & his wife makes no complaint so that the authority see fit to do anything - what will the end be? - We hear that six car loads of sick & wounded soldiers came to the village last night - The women of the village have been busy sewing for them for a long time -
The 2nd reg. I suppose has been mustered out - Josiah Town is expected home tomorrow - It is thought possible that Abel Morril may be living as it is now said that he was wounded & taken prisoner - Dwight Kelton is Captain we hear -
There was a town meeting last week which authorized the selectmen to hire soldiers to fill the quota & avoid a draft - I think the bounty ought to be raised by those liable to a draft - at any rate those who have paid commutation fee, ought to be as [?] as those who go to the war, I should think - but when any thing is so complicated it is a hard matter to get every thing right - I wait with anxiety till I hear from thee
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East Montpelier 19th of 6th mo 1864
My dear dear Willie
Thine dated at Post Royal the 31st ult is received - with little hope of thy getting this, I feel as if I could wait no longer before writing to thee - I long to know where thee is & what position thee is in - my heart aches to think of thy [exposures?] & fatigues - but I try to leave it all - I can supposing it is thy choice to be there, hoping & craving that the arm of the Omnipotent may protect & shield thee from the thousand dangers that surround thee - In all our afflictions Heaven has been kind - but when the nation is weeping for her fallen sons, how can I hope that [deleted] mine will be spared -
My health is very much improved but I am still at Horace's - Lottie is going home this week & Mary wants
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Which [unfained?] love, in which Mary joins - Thy loving mother
R. B. Stevens
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me to stay with her - & last week H went to Springfield to attend the funeral of that sister that he went to see when thee came home - They are all very well at home - Thomas & Jane & Dorcas & Mary & Horace & Howard have gone to Plainfield to meeting today - we have had very warm & dry weather for a few days past - but previous to that it was almost freezing cold - So that Christopher & Mary & Walter & Fanny only went to the foot of the White mountains - as the road to the summit had not been cleared of ice & snow & fallen timber - C's health is some better - & they are now settled down in their home - Aunt Paulina was here yesterday - she is really smart & is preparing to go west - & I have thought if I get pretty well I had better go with them, as I may probably not have so good company again - what does thee think of it? - Timothy has written to thee directing the letter here - but it seems
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so uncertain about thy getting this, that I will not send it till I hear from thee - They were both very well - but find their life very laborious & fatiguing -
In five weeks from last sixth day we expect Ann home - I expect her [deleted] labor will be hard till then but I think very little of that to what I do of thine - Yesterday we visited at G. C. N's. a number of Ladies were also there & we had a pleasant timeonly the war makes us sad - & there is also an affair in the neighborhood that seems indeed sorrowful - Betsey Arbuckle has a broken wrist which had been done nine days before she went to a Dr. it is supposed that it was hurt in some way by her husband when intoxicated - & he would not take her to a Dr. nor let his boy go for one when it grew so bad that she went on foot to Dr. Town's, on a very warm day - &
