RichardsonLeonard18520519_001

Andover
Wednesday Afternoon May 19th 1852

Dear parents

The letter from home
reached me in due seasonand as usual met
a kind reception. The long delay caused by your
not receiving mine made the long looked for
one far more precious. There is nothing better
to try one's patience than to visit the Post Office
every day and find "memo" on the list, and it
sometimes makes one feel rather uneasy. But
I came to the opinion that you had not
received mine or like other of my correspondents
were waiting for aother week to pass. You of course
wish to know how our "bread and butter" holds out
and how we get along in domestique affairs. First
let me tell you what we do not have. We have
no "roast turkies", no roast pigs, mutton soup roast
beef beef steak, clam chowder or oysters. But on the
contrary. Boiled Beef do Ham, puddings, pies & cake
(you know we must live "lightly") salt fish, brown bread
& white, eggs, smoked beef, water, bread & milk, sauce,
and last, but not least, baked beans. This last
named article of food we find delicious & with the greatest