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introduced our Northern habits & customs, I presume, I should soon like it every way. The Winter was an unfavorable one for our first experience - after Christmas, for about six weeks being cold, raw and disagreeable - but that was all the winter we had - roses were in bloom until Christmas and commences blooming again in March, but while the cold weather lasted it was very disagreeable - raining incessantly - so that it was almost impossible to get about for the mud. Then the houses are not prepared for cold weather, and I really suffered more than we do at the North. Here everything is done for warm weather, while with us we prepared mainly for Winter. The people are very pleasant, especially te ladies affable and cordial in their manners, very kind and hospitable - they make you feel at home immediately and treat you as if they had always known you, all reserve and ceremony is laid aside, yet you are treated with the utmost politeness. Still my prejudices are in favor of the North, and I think, you would be too.

Can you realise your friend Eliza in her present position? Can you think of her at the head of such an establishment? for it is really an immense place - and sometimes I feel neighbors chosen with care and responsibility and as though I could not continue to take such a change. My buoyancy and elasticity of spirits keep me up however, and my pride & ambition spur me on - I sometimes feel quite elated, I am so complimented on my housekeeping and I admit I am perfectly willing to compete with any Southern housekeeper I have yet seen. But my duties keep me busy all the time and I have to be ever vigilant and [illegible] to make things go straight for negroes are not the most efficient or faithful servants - yet I like them and have not as yet seen anything to prejudice me against slavery. Many thanks, kind friend, for all the little items of vers you gave me - it is very pleasant to receive such things, it carries one back to past scenes, and pleasant hours long since enjoyed. What has become of Mrs Howes Ellis and his Motherless children? How did Robert Irwin happen to get married, and how are his family pleased? How have you been pleased with Mrs Charles Robison and is she a great addition to the Church? Poor Miss Smith! how sorry I feel for her - how much she has been called upon to suffer, but she knows where to look for support and consolation - Give my very best