Oliver Ellsworth letter to Nabby Ellsworth, 1779 January 9

Philada. Jany. 9 1779 -

Dear Girl,

Was you to see me this night, in the situation I am, with a beard a week old, with the cape of my great Coat buttoned about my years, & a large muffler of Baize across my nose & mouth, I am sure you would not give me a kiss; & that would be ten times worse than the pain I now feel, & have felt for days past. In short such a face I never had before & hope never shall again. How I came by it I know not, nor do I care, so that I get rid of it again, which I think I shall in two or three days more. And you will expect I suppose that [...] moment I am able to ride I set off, post [...] for home; but, my dear, I can not come [...] will give you no reason why because [...] beleive none only that I cannot come

for your amusement, & that is how I kept Christmas_ I went among the papists & attended divine service in a romish chappel; where I confess I was wonderfully struck with the shew of the place, the superstition of the ceremonies & devotion of the people. I did not arrive to smell the burning of frankinsense, nor to see our savior carryed about in a cradle under pretense of his having been born the very night-before; but I saw him extended full length upon the cross, seven golden cand[...] sticks burning upon an alter before him, & one in the midst with a candle as larg[...] a mans arm. At this alter stood things covered with a mantle bespangled w[...] & two boys, in white, to hold up the [...] it, & occasionally to ring a little [...] held in thier hands. The alley leading [...] [...]

those who had no book, had strings of beads in their hands, which they counted over & answered the same purpose- The priest administered the sacrament to a number, but I observed after he had put a small wafer in to their mouths, he drank all the wine himself & when his glass was out one of his boys stepd up & filled her again, & so on until the cruise [...] when the kneelers arose & that priest

74109

& diping in their fingers & crosing themselves the service was finished, & I returned home to a dinner which gave me more substantial entertainment _ thus ended Christmas & thus ends this Letter. My dear Adieu _ O. Ellsworth.

Daddy's love to little Nabby & will bring her some plumbs. _ Compliments to your family. O.E.