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so sure it would be a failure if he did go - that I am satisfied - but I fear he wll never acquire a thorough education - it seems so hard for him to concentrate his mind on his book to the exclusion of what is passing around him - he expects to stay at H.'s though Thomas would rather like him at home - he seems very cheerful & happy - he says give my love - Uncle Timothy seems really to gain in bodily health but his mind is a perfect wreck - aunt P. seems to get along comfortably. Lyddy is gone but they have another young girl, Martha Hobert - who now seems almost as remarkable as L.
on fifth day I visited at Reuben's with Maria & Martha & Philena & her beautiful boy - on sixth day Irena Matilda - Lorinda, [Orselah?] & I went to John's - Yesterday, Martha was to leave - Maria still walks with a cane but seems in fine spirits. Please continue to write often - Thy mother
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[upside down:]
Thy specimines of currency are quite a curiosity - does thee stll get what money thee needs?
[right side up:]
East Montpelier 7th of 9th mo. 1862
My dear boy
Thomas, Ann & I wrote to thee last first day - but as thee has moved so far, I fear thee will not get it - I think I will not go farther back, however in my narative untill we hear that that, did not reach thee.
Last first day, as Wm. Dean seemed hardly able to go to the meeting house we held our meeting here - on 2nd day he seemed better & he & Thomas went to see uncle Timothy - on 3rd day we went to Horaces & on 4th day they started for home - Ann also left us at the same time - I do not think her health seems firm & I fear she will study & study
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Why could they not have sent thee to Philadelphia - what does thee hear from Henry
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till she uses it all up - & is left a poor nervous feeble girl - but she has the best of courage & great resolution. Thomas returned from taking Ann to the depot - at 1/2 past 9 - just in season for us to go to James Bennetts to attend the funeral of Oramel Stevens - who died there of typhoid fever from which he suffered very acutely for over three weeks, being almost entirely deprived of reason most of the time - his countenance bore the marks of very great suffering - aged 28 yrs & 6 months - James B. has been very severely afflicted with sore throat & neuralgia - for several months. James Coburn buried a child about a year old on 6th day - So we see the strong man & the babe are stricken down by disease - & it seems as if this might be enough - but nay the sword devours still more - I do not think we get reliable accounts from the war, but from what we do hear - we must
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conclude that disaster & defeat are quite as often the portion of the northern army as victory the clouds indeed seem to thicken & faith can hardly see that the sun is ever to break through -
Michael Hammett undertook to board the company that has just been recruited here - but they were so dissatisfied with their fare, that the Captain, Lewis Coburn, has got more than half of them into the houses of citizens around - M. got quite anxious & said he would shut up his tavern - the Capt. said, do it -
James started for Morrisville yesterday on a visit - taking the time after they finished a very hard job on David Fuller's oats & before Thomas goes to the village to stop awhile - the court sits on 3rd day next & he is a juryman - we are sorry to have him go - Charley has concluded not to go to school this fall - & I am
