ENPages
(seq. 42)
New Rochelle 8 mo 4. 1839. First day morning.
Recd. Saturday 10th Aug
Aaron,
Your most acceptable letters, mailed the 25 & 30 all were joylously received on the 2d inst. One of them as you perceive having been eight days on the way. I think letters put in Battenville Office on the third day of the week come to New Rochelle, more expeditiously than those mailed on any other day. As the coming home business seems to be the principal topic in both letters, I will try to tell you something about it. I asked E. last night if she would wish me to stay longer than three months from the time I came. She answered, she thought if the school remained as large as at the present, she should want me to remain until vacation, which commences the 20th of 10 month & will continue untuil the 4 of 11 month.
Time flies so swiftly, that the eleven remaining weeks will have passed away before I shall be aware. I do not wish the time away for when I think of it, and think how quickly 9 weeks have passed, it seems wicked to wish it to pass swifter than it does. She cannot tell whether she will want me through the winter or not until the term commences, and she knows the number of scholars she will be likely to have. I have thought considerable of visiting Curtisville [belle] & Aadams on my return home & think I shall if time will admit and you do not any of you come to accompany me home and may be if you should, you would
(seq. 43)
like to visit our friend in Berkshire.
Afternoon. We have just returned from Presbyterian Meeting, across the road from us, where we have heard most an excellent sermon from Mr.Abbott their pastor, on "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His."
As regard these extra happenings and going to New Rochelle & I don't think and don't know, I do not wish to hear any more of them in this offish way. If you have any thing to say, say it, or if you anything express it in plain English so that I may no longer be left in uncertainty, with respect to matters and things. Now to more important business. I do not wish you to say I am foolish before you read all I have to say. I have been away the silk worm people now for two months, & heard a great deal said on the subject, but have not suffered my feelings to become enlisted till within a few days. I have thought how nice a business it would be connected with a school nexr summer, for H. & myself, but then there are leaves to be furnished for the worms to eat. There are two species of the mulberry, the black and white which are found growing in various parts of the country. And now what I want is for you to look round and see if there are any black mulberries around there. I can tell you where there is one tree, it is in John Wilber's yard of North Easton. I wish our people would take a little pains to see that tree, and ascertain if there are any around us and let me know it. The silk worms eggs will probably be very high next spring as there are so many going into the business, therefore if I could make sure of leaves, I would purchase the eggs this fall. I could even get the leaves from Wilbers, as they pick them and pack them in just before feeding them and so there might be enough gathered at one time to last a week. Imagine I can now hear you saying Susan is crazy but I am not. I have thought well of it. From ten shillings expended for eggs, and for six weeks labour, S. Brown'es folks have about a hundred and thirty dollars worth of eggs, the expense of feeding them was to go to the woods and pick leaves for them. Now is that for 6 weeks work, more than peddling a quintet of codfish sitting in the school room from day to day and week to week and then not earning near that money. Yes it is. And I think we have room enough in our house to have a family school and one room devoted to the silk worm business and girls enough there to take the change of all these things. Whoever teaches school will have plenty of time to take care of them. Eunice has raised one lot, and now the eggs which those will have hatched, and she has bought several thousand more. About 10 or 1200 hatched this morning they are about as large as small cheese skippers and [bl ?]. She thinks strongly of buying more eggs still. Second day, the Post Master has left this morning for Saratoga so if you have anything to say to him you had better visit him. No more at present. Received a paper this morning which was very pleasing.
S.B.A.
(seq. 45)
Batten ville August fifth 1839
Dear Susan
Mr Van Buren is at the springs and though good folks Democrats Whigs Neutrals and all have been out to see him. Except your most [Obl?] and the reason why I did not go was because I could not. He is said by all that have seen him to a first rate feller Your last letter was recieved on Saturday the third just and yesterday I had the honor of conveying it to Hard Center, Scrabble Falls of course. The folks at C.F. House are well and doing well. I believe thy 'marm' is troubled a a little with the asthma. Your Uncle Reed from the [nest?] was there last week and your father and mother accompanied him on his way home as far as Greenfield they saw the President etcetera. They returned home on Saturday Eve and [brought?] Hannah. The fact is [Han?] has rather a hard time [continuing] teaching down on the [Ruis?] The inhabitants are rather coarse cases. She is not any more homesick than 'you are' but she likes to come home very well once in a while or two. And I dare say you wuld too I presume she will be rather glad of the [time?] when her school is out. Thus you see I am very versed in family affairs at "C.F.H." and the way I come to know is as follows "Gula told all the afoe particulars in order that I might write to you and save her the trouble" The Judge was out last week and attended the Girls Examination and brought them home last Saturday. I talk some of moving to the springs next week Hope I shall don't you. I shall not write any more on this side of the leaf so you may turn it over and see if there is anything on tother side