(seq. 37)

Northampton, 30 {January}. 1808.

My dear husband,
I can hardly realize that four days
only have passed since we parted. The time appears at least,
twice as long. I feel impatient to hear from you and the dear
children. You are ever present to my view; in imagination
I see them all in your lap, listening with eagerness to all you
say. Tell Sarah and Elisabeth that Mamma longs to see them,
they must be very good, and she will soon return and bring
them something pretty. I hope Abby's teeth are through before
this, and her cheeks as red as ever.
After the stage drove from brother
John's door, it went to Stone's and took in Mr Joseph Story.
and Mr Henry Gray, son of Mr W Gray of Salem. It was ten
o'clock before we left Boston, we dined at Wheelers in Framingham;
the neatest public house I ever was in. We had an excellent
dinner. It was past three before we left there, and between eight
and nine when we arrived in Worcester. Lewis proposed our stopping
at Sikes's, the house where Barker formerly kept, for the sake of
having a quiet night. When the stage stop't, Mr Sullivan ask'd
why we put up there, and hearing the reason, proposed to Mr S---y
and Gray to join our party. Our supper was not ready till
nearly ten, I was very hungry, and didnot consider the
injury of eating heartily at so late an hour, and of course
had but a little sleep. We were called at four the next morn-
ing, but the stage didnot come for us till five. We rode to
Spencer to breakfast, got there at eight, after waiting an
hour and a half. I hoped to find something fit to eat, but
was disappointed. Mr Strong told me since, that if I had gone
into the kitchen, I should not have set down to table.
The ride from there to Brookfield was a very distressing one to me.
We were only fifty minutes, going seven miles and a half--
you can judge how furiously they drove, up hill, or down, all the
same.