Gold Rush Era Letters

& I do hope that I shall sooner or later be again permitted to share the enjoyments, of home with you, although I am now comfortably situated for which I ought to be thankful. As for enjoyment however there is but little to be had in this country. Society here is nothing when compared with society in New England. There are theatres &c [etc] here to be sure but I have had no desire to visit them & have been inside of a theatre here but once & that was in order to attend a Concert give by Miss Catherine Hayes a gentleman having given me a ticket of admission wishing me to attend. This is the only time I have visited the Theatre in this country. I was pleased to hear C & H were enjoying such good health this winter & that they attended church so regularly & constant & they seem to take so much interest in your work that it must make it much easier for you to get along through the cold weather. But as you say if you had not seen to H. she would have been kept to school as long as she could sit up, but it takes mother to manage things she knows right from wrong, & knows how affairs should be managed & when she says anything she means it.

I was very sorry to hear that Esqs & Augustus Jewette [Augustus Jewett] were so lame & feeble. Should not think Clarence would feel like remaining away from home a great while if they continue to be so feeble. They indeed as a family are sorely afflicted. It seems hard for a worthy young man like Augustus to be deprived by sickness from taking any enjoyment whatever of Life. But so it is & so it must be. It is sometimes hard however to realize that all these

[written on left side:] Tuesday 15th How do you all do this evening? I am well & should be glad to know that you were enjoying the same blessing. I saw Henry Shipley [Henry Shepley] today. He looks nice & well & has enjoyed good health since he arrived here. The first inst. if I remember rightly you were 52 years old, that being your birthday I wish I could have passed the day with you as you intended I should have done last year, but my wishing seemed to do no good. Give my love to Charles & Hattie & tell C. to be sure & send his miniature.

H.A.P.