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New Albion Feb, 18th 1855 Dear Bob - Your letter of the 6th came while I was absent on a visit, and has lain very quietly on my table for more than a week. So it seems necessary that it should be answered at once. You'll not expect much in this case and so wont be disappointed. I have been visiting some of my old school friends at Randolph. Mary Ann Shattuck who has just returned from the South among the rest. I was considerably interested in her description of southern life as she saw it. She went away with very staunch abolition views yet possessing so much secretiveness that they did her no harm. She returned condiderably liberalized in sentiment, as is apt to be the case I think. I have hardly time to consider the matter of the Nat. Hist. books just now. My object was to inform myself better upon so interesting a science, and one of which I can deplorably [illegible]. I presume I could procure Dr Fitch's work on Insects, as I have two friends in the Albany legislature, former teachers of mine, Charlie Plumb and Cousin Charlie Juelson who is Clerk of the Senate. Either of them would procure the book for me I doubt not. I must thank you for your kind invitaton to spend the summer at "The Grove". I am sure nothing would give me greater pleasure if I felt at liberty to accept it; but I suppose that would come under the head of the impossibles. Please tender my warmest thanks to the friends, and my regrets that circumstances (that's an ugly word) will not admit of my acceptance.
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If you dont like the letter I send you in place of the sketch you asked just please tell me frankly and I will try and do better some time when I am not so tired and have fewer demands upon my leisure hours. I have never been in the habit of writing off hand sketches. I know it is a great defect in [illegible] Education and but one which I mean to exert myself to correct. There are some very interesting places within a few miles of my home which I should like to tell you about if it were possible to visit them now in order to refresh my memory: but you must know that the snow efffectually shuts out all of the land= =scape except the tops of the fences and the trees. Such grand sleighing as we have had for six or seven weeks is what would us city folks good to behold. And I hardly need add we have our "improved the opportunity" as they say at the methodist meetings. Speaking of meetings reminds me that revivals are all the rage, just now. Every school district can boast an illuminated house until midnight for seven nights of the week to say nothing of the love feasts and class meetings on Sundays. Mother has been out to Aunt Hill's on a visit and she says our well beloved cousin Laura has been converted in the most approved manner. Willie, the wicked fellow, did take her up in his arms and carry her home one night from a noisy meeting but I dare say she did not mind persecution much. - Don't musunderstand me Bob, I don't mean to say anything at all improper and would'nt for any consideration have you think me unrefined - but I have'nt the least particle of reservation for such sort of things and I can't feign what I don't feel. I think possibly [illegible] might make the same remark about my letter that he did of yours and with equal truth - but I will surely do better some time when I am not so very tired as I am tonight Much love to the friends --- Your cousin Annie Kennicott
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La Vallie Feb 18th 1855 -
Dear Editor - Do you like sleighriding? - And do you often come in rather reluctantly than otherwise from a merry dash over hills and valleys, to the music of jingling bells which will keep ringing in your ears long after both yourself and the ponies are comfortably housed and life has begun to go on in the usual calm routine? And then if you apply yourself the performance of some duty which neglected would sadly disturb the tranquility of your conscience and perhaps banish sleep from your eyes - (By the way - I do believe Madam Consciences and [illegible] are in league for and offence to the one is sure to be taken in high dudgeon by the other - I mean to refer the question to the first metaphysician I meet-) Pardon my parenthetical ramblings. I was going to say in that case you might enter into the feelings of your humble servant - on this present evening the more, if after cautioning the rest of the children not to come within five yards of you for sixty consecutive minutes you proceed to the accomplishment of your work which we will suppose for instance is to answer the letters of a correspondent who has made a troublesome demand upon your mental powers Just as the pencil you are twirling in your fingers your [illegible] has completed its forwith revolution while you are
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casting about for something presentable to say you hear a little pleasing voice at your side begging in most winning tones - "Oh yes! Just this once do!" And so with your best yielding grace you run off to see some new celebrity and to hear for perhaps the third time of all the marvellous things that have transpired during your abscence. - How "Bruno" who is really the most wonderful dog in the world, and whose loss a few weeks ago threw the whole household into the deepest sorrow - has very miraculously been found! How Dick the pet lamb is absolutely becoming more human every day and seems clearly to comprehend all that is said to him! How "the baby" [illegible] the youngest of the nephews and nieces has actually made an attempt to articulate several words! (all of which failed [illegible] but were quite remarkable trials nevertheless.) And so after listening patiently to the details of each separate transaction, not omitting to express the expected amount of wonder at every one you at length return to your neglected task; but just as you have caught sight of an bright idea, the singing of the teakettle over the bright fine changes suddenly to the chorus of bells and in an instant you are skimmimg over the crisping snow and enjoying with keen zest the pleasures of the world without. Thank God for winter! say I - especially for winters with plenty of sleighing! There is nothing short of the Fourth of July that will give one such a delicious feeling of independence as the cold bracing air of a January morning. I am sure I shall never decide the hackneyed question of what season I like best. In spring I am very sure that May is the pleasantest month of the twelve - in June I waver a little,
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especially after reading Mr. B F Taylor's beautiful book. - but with gorgeous autumn I am fully decided that I was over hasty and so I calmly say - October for me always. And so I vascillate now one and now another, like the boy in that pretty little German Story. News seems entirely merged in the all engrossing topics of Know Nothingism, Hard Times - and the war in the Crimea - on all of which points you are probably better booked up than I am. I could hardly interest you in a recital of my personal experiences in the way of riding down hill on a hand sled, going to regular old fashioned spelling schools which conclude with a merry dance in a very unorthodox style - or of my latest experiences in tracing constellations, wherein I made discoveries which wont affect the science of astronomy much. Have patience with me this once and I will try to say something nice[underlined] in my next "scribblement" always provided you dont tire of my yarns and cut my acquaintance. Your always Kate Scribbler