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none, but those who recognize the Source, can understand it - May you live, my dear Brother, to feel what "perfect freedom" there is in Gods [sic] service - how worthy of the noblest powers of an immortal being - how full of wisdom & happiness the years will be, that draw you nearer to the end of this life, & open the bright vista of an Eternity, where life begins. Though all else fails us, our Lords [sic] love never can - In this weariest land, we may rest beneath the shadow of that "Rock which is higher than we" -
We were very sorry to pass the Island without stopping - but the letter I sent Caroline will explain the reason why - I will write her again, but tonight I feel quite worn out having been confined with cold & fever for three days - the absence of my daughters this evening gave me the opportunity of writing you which I could not resist -
God bless you dear William - Your own heart would be happier to know how much your present prospects have lightened mine - Kiss that dear little wife, for me, and your little ones - We will be here for some days & then go to Clarkesville till [sic] August -
[top right] Saratoga United States Hotel Friday September 3 - 53 --
Here we are my own dearest Mother - I wrote you the day before yesterday from New York that evening. My dear Father and Butler came to see us and went with us out - I would far have preferred spending a quiet evening with my precious Father & dear B - but all the rest wished to go - So we started to hear Ole Bull at Melba's - but when we got there you never saw such a jam we could have got seats but it was dreadful - so hot & such a sham of bad breath that Father Cousin A. & S. declined we could not stand it at all - so out we all came without having heard a note and got back our money & went down to Castle Garden to hear Julliens [sic] Band - Dear Mother how I wish you had been there - no description can give you the very faintest idea of the splended [sic] Grandure [sic] of that delicious musick [sic] - it surpassed any thing I ever dreamed of - You & the girls must hear him it is enough to set any one music Mad - Cousin A & Mr W. are perfectly charmed. Cousin A - says - if that is Opera musick [sic] no wonder Appy goes crazy about it - we all did so wish for all of you - B. left us then to attend a hop
at the Metropolitan - but my loved Father remained & saw us home in the Omnibus there was [sic] two fat old men who amused us not a little by their remarks and after we were so full that one man was seated on another's lap - in came a pretty girl a young man helped her in - saying will you not make room for a lady & she settled herself between Father & one of the fat ones - it was tight work I tell you - Yesterday morning we were up by 5 - got a hack and went down to the George Washington - there were [sic] a perfect crowd at 7 - off we went - quite slowly stoping [sic] frequently - Oh - that tower - it is beautifully grand - how I wished for you all again - have you ever been up it? - if you have I will but say a word - if not I can form no words to describe tis [sic] beauty - at First Point - a large party about 25 - in number, came in amongue [sic] them - Old Governer [sic] Gelmer [sic] & his wife - of Georgia - hearing me say "Mr Couper" - she asked me if we were southerners I told her who we were and she called the Governer [sic] and you realy [sic] would have thought we were old Friends - he asked so warmly after Father - he is a great friend of Mr JHC - their party is made up of a lot of young people lads & lasses from Georgia Alibama [sic], Mississipy [sic] Louisi [sic] & Florida - a gay noisy merry set - all so good tempered & full of joak [sic] - Mrs Gilmers [sic] brother is the only other elderly person and he keeps the whole set laughing all the time - in a roar he got to Albany at 5 -pm- took the cars
for this place & came Oh like Fury - got here at 8 - The Gilmer party came too - it being late I thought best to come to the United States hotel where we still are - $2.50 - per day - we have two end rooms Cousin A & ourselves 86 - & 88 - joining - I expect we will have to stay here as William can find no one to tell him of any first private houses and I will not go again into any place I know nothing about --. This morning I was up by [?] - and off to the Spring - it is very plesant [sic] - I drank two glasses & then went up to the rail road - & William gave me a ride round [sic] - came down drank two more & started home where who do you think we met - Why young Henry King - he appeared perfectly delighted to meet us - told us his Father had been very ill & had come here for the waters - & was staying at the Union House - just after we had had breakfast Henry came bringing his little sister to see me - after a little William Mr W. Cousin A & I went down to see his Father, poor old Man he appeared so overjoyed to see us - asked warmly after dear Father & all of you - he said he had seen Fathers [sic] arrival - in New York and then saw a notice of him in Washington & had he not been too sick for Henry to [see?] him he should have sent H- to find out where dear F- was as he did not know where to write to him they had written John King to ask if he new [sic] where F- was - he appears so very anxious to see all of you again - Says he will go where ever it is likely he can meet Father & the rest of you. I told him I thought Father would be coming here in a short time