(seq. 15)

It is nearly time for the mail to arrive & I dont know how
much more I shall be able to wait I hope it will
arrive very soon 'Cause' my ideas are nearly exhausted
I did not rise till 6 oclock this morning.
In relation to the 4th of Indepdendence, I can only say what
I have heard. I celebrated the day at Batten ville we
had prime 'doms' Clark Startutt. Elijah Wyatt. Sam
Lewis. David Stewart. Charly Boudicl. Dock Colling
Will Shiv. Alen Churck. Myself &c &c fired Red crackle all
day long. Only in the PM I called at the Center Falls House
&c &c. Every Body almost went to 'Celebration' There was
a regular celebration at Salem & a ladies fair. A cele
bration at Schuylerville, Saratoga things &c &c &c
At all of which places there were great gatherings of loafing
and things. And much more rum drank than done any good
It is now 11 oclock and it has just commenced raining a
thinder shower. On Saturday last the 29th [felt?] we had
a the most serene Hail Storm ever experienced in this
Country. It commenced about 2 oclock PM and lasted
about an hour accompanied by very heavy thunder
& rain. It intirely destroyed the corn plantation on [sinnal?]
farms & very much injured all crops. Grass gardens &
the Hail stones were very large some measured 5 inches
round them. After the storm was as there might have been
Masson loads of Ice gatherd up, and Sunday all day
there were to be seen Large Banks of solid ice when the
water had washed the Hail into heaps. In this place there
was about 1000 lights of glass broken. It extended but
a little ways however. It did not reach the Falls at all
nor but a short distance afar Syman Monday

About the only farms injured were Paul [?] Failans
Curtis Coles I. R will A.N. McLean. L Woodard
Esp McLean. [Jeffth & Cottreds?]

Hannah spect the 4th
at home I saw her and think she has grown very much
since has been "mistress" she has about 15 scholars
and likes her situation very well.

I have now written every little thing I can think of and
I believe all the news worth writing. It thunders very
heavy and the weather is quite cold.

I am very sorry to see from your letters that you appear
to be homesick. I should suppose that any body from
this miserable stormy Country located in so pleasant a
place as if suppose New Rochelle to be would be [?]
by [Continted?] Happy. If I was there I know I [would?]
not want to ever return. You must write often [?]
once a week whether you receive anews or not. I will
seem some like talking with your own folks for you to
write to them and I know from experience that it is
quite a relief to homesick folks to have friends to write
they can write often. And I also know that it was no
relief to me when I was homesick to receive letters from
home. It only increased my malady. I have written
this is a great hurry and have been constantly interrupted
by conversation in the shop & stopping to do business therefore
you must overlook errors &c.. If your folks should send a
letter to go in the mail to day I shall not send this if not
I shall. Be sure and write often and not stand for any
ceremony or formalities

Thine Truly

A. M. McLean