Do you want to hear from me,
Austin? I'm going to write to you
altho' it dont seem much as if you
would care to have me. I dont know
why exactly, but things look blue, today,
and I hardly know what to do, every-
thing looks so strangely, but if you
want to hear from me, I shall love
very much to write - Prof Tyler
has preached today, and I have been
all day - Susie walked home from
meeting with us, and was so
disappointed at having no letter from
you - It really seems very unsafe
to depend upon Judge Conkey, and
that Mr Eaton too, I should think
quite hazardous - Dont wait for them

next time. We received your notes
and the Poems, for which we thank
you, last week - Father seemed much
pleased with this letter, and all of us
laughed a little - The remark con-
cerning Mr Ford seemed to please
father mightily - I dont dont [sic] mean
what I said, but your opposition
to me - He told me you'd "hit me
off nicely." You make me think of
Dickens, when you write such letters
as that - I am going to read it to
Sue - I should have done before, but
the afternoon it came, we had ter-
rible thunder showers, and it rained
all evening long, and yesterday afternoon
Father wanted us all to ride, so I
have not had opportunity - I walked
with her last evening - She wore

her new things today, and looked
beautifully in them - a white
straw hat, trimmed with Rouches -
mantilla of fawn colored sick, very
handsomely finished, and white Dress.
She is going after Miss Bartlett
tomorrow morning at 5 - and begins
her Dressmaking tomorrow.
She says she shall just get thro'
by the time you get home.
So shall Vinnie and I - there must
be no sewing then - We are all
pretty well, and the weather is beau-
tiful - If you were here I think
you would be very happy, and
I think we should, but time
has wings, and you will be with
us soon. We have been free
from company by the "Amherst and

Belchertown Railroad" since Joel went
home, tho' we live in constant fear
of some other visitation -
"Oh would some power the giftie
gie" folks, to see themselves as we
see them. Burns. I have read the po-
ems, Austin, and am going to read
them again, and will hand them
to Susie - They please me very much,
but I must read them again before
I know just I think of "Alexander
Smith" - They are not very coherent,
but there's good deal of exquisite
frensy, and some wonderful fig-
ures, as ever I met in my life -
We will walk about it again -
The grove looks nicely, Austin, and
we think must certainly grow -
We love to got there - it is a char-

ming place. Everything is singing
now, and everything is beautiful
that can be in it's life.
So Joel did'nt have a remarkable
trip up here - wonder which en-
joyed it the most - the pestilence,
or the victims - Dont tell him
what I said - And think besides
Aunt Lavinia must be very busy -
Guess "Father will be tired" when they
next visit here.
Jerry gets along nicely, takes first-
rate care of the horse, and seems
unusually grand after having a
message from you. It has the
same effect as a big mug of
cider, and looks a good deal better.
I am glad your eye has got well.
You must use it carefully, for a

little while - I hope you received
your hat - I had not time to write
you with it, for I did it up late
last night, after having folks here
all the evening, and I hope it did
not seem strange to you.
The time for the New London trip
has not been fixed upon.
I sincerely wish it may wait until
you get home from Cambridge,
if you would like to go.
The cars continue thriving - a good
many passengers seem to arrive
from somewhere, tho' nobody knows
from where - Father expects his
new Buggy to come by the cars, every
day now, and that will help a
little - I expect all our Grandfathers
and all their country cousins will

come here to pass Commencement,
and dont doubt the stock will
rise several percent that week.
If we children [and Sue] could ob-
tain board for the week in some
"vast wilderness," I think we should
have good times. Our house is
crowded daily with the members of
this world, the high and the low, the
bond and the free, the "poor in
this world's goods," and the "almighty
dollar, and "what in the world they
are after" continues to be unknown -
But I hope they will past away, as
insects on vegetation, and let us reap
together in golden harvest time -
that is [you and Susie and] me
and our [dear] sister Vinnie must
have a pleasant time to be unmo-

lested together, when your school days
end. You must not stay with Howland
after the studies cease - We shall be
ready for you, and you must come
home from school, not stopping to play
by the way! Mother was much amused
at the feebleness of your hopes of hear-
ing from her - She got so far last
week once, as to take a pen and
paper and carry them into the kitchen,
but her meditations were broken by
the unexpected arrival of Col Smith
and his wife, so she must try again -
I'm sure you will hear from her soon.
We all send our love to you, and miss
you very much, and think of seeing
you again very much, and love dear
[Sue] constantly. Write me again soon.
I have said a good deal today. Emilie.