Gold Rush Era Letters

14th Your kind letters of the 15th April & 31st May answer in due season, the former the 31st May. The letter the 2nd inst which continued the unwelcome news of the great conflagration which so suddenly reduced to ashes three fine buildings beside destroying the fine yards & gardens connected with them. I think Mr. Perry is the greatest sufferer by this fire as he had just got nicely located & his buildings so arranged as to conveniently accommodate his pupils. It was by far the largest fire I ever knew of in P. & its effects will long be seen. I suppose however that the houses will all be rebuilt soon but probably not as large as before & it will take not only money but a long time to restore to those yards & gardens, the beauty they once could boast of. Mrs Tucker wrote that she thought quite likely that Dr. Howe would purchase the old place where his father used to live, & enlarge it for his patients as long as he had moved there. I think it would be a very good location for him, & that he would like to own the place as it was once his father's. You of course will write me from time to time what is being done toward rebuilding.

I know of but little news to write you. I am not now in any particular business but work around some by the day for the most I can get which is much better than doing nothing as i can very easily make enough to pay my expenses. I hope however that I shall be able to get into some kind of business again soon that will pay me better

Sam I suppose is at Columbia, what he is doing I cannot say. Wm Shipley [William Shipley] is at work about, painting & paper hanging & I sometimes work with. He is quite well

He had written me before however but I did not recieve [receive] the letter. He writes that he is enjoying first rate health, & is at work mining in company with the Wright boys. This is better news than I expected to hear from him & it will no doubt be cheering to his relations & friends & I hope he will continue to enjoy good health & soon be able to make his pile.

I have recieved [received] no letters from Mr. J. A. Tucker or his family, by the last two mails which is something unusual & the only way I can account for it is, that they have all been busily engaged in assisting Crosby & his Lady in getting married, & as the ceremony is now over I shall expect to hear from them again regularly. I think I will not write them by this mail so you will please give them my kind regards & tell them I will write by next mail --

I am glad that Harriet has got her new Piano & I hope it will prove as good, as you say it is nice. About what Aunt Luois says about it I think as you do "don't care what she says about it. One thing is certain" that it ain't her old second-hand one which she wanted you to buy for H. & all she can say will be of little account with any of us. She may sometime be convinced that poor folks can act a little independent as well as rich ones like her family & herself. I am sorry that Mr. Perry is agoing to leave Pepperell for I think he is a nice man & a good citizen. Owing to his loss by the fire I suppose he feels somewhat discouraged & thinks he will try somewhere else, & I hope he may be more fortunate