The bbl of potatoes went

last week pr Schr A Hammond,

no bill lading

Phil^a Oct 13^th

 

My dear Mother

                        Not a line from you for some time but I presume "no news is good news" and I trust all is well in North Providence at last advices Walter was going to Kingston to visit Laura has he returned as I know he is very fond of sweet potatoes and I hope he will enjoy some of the barrel which you will see by the bill of lading has been sent to you I hope you will all enjoy them as I know everyone likes them but everyone cannot take them I for instance am obliged to deny myself as they give me dyspepsia in an aggravated form it is so long since now that I cease to crave them much. We are at home once again at [?] and are very much benefitted by our trip I am very much invigorated by it and Emma is perfectly wonderful George too is "robustious" & flourishes with a moustache which is certainly a great improvement and gives him less trouble in shaving therefore he enjoys it 

 

the corner stone of the structure was laid in the retirement of the Delaware Water Gap I wrote to sister Mary from Bethlehem with a little picture for Eddie enclosed I bought of one of "the Sisters" her own painting which I hope has been received we came home last Saturday under the charge of Mr & Mrs Packard who came home after their usual Bethlehem visit George left us there to come home here to paint up a little & what was my surprise to find the house gone into winter quarters when I came home with all the carpets down in the rooms & entries & the cleaning of the paint all over it had been overseen by Rebecca who had done a large part of it herself too she is still at roomkeeping but came here with her child and lived for a week or more & superintended it was the greatest pleasure & surprise to me as I must confess I had dreaded the "autumnal equinox" not a little as here one is forced to be so particular and all has to be done just so & by just such people and one must be always ready for emergencies. On Monday last Mr Horatio / Wood walked in quite unexpectedly with his daughter & announced himself he did not do more than dine that day however as he spent all his nights at "Old Oaks" and his days in town making daily transits by rail. they have made this their town home & the other the sleeping place part of the time I had no cook but we managed & now we have a cook & live & eat once again before we lunched exclusively. I am getting quite gay too taking tea out very frequently when the weather is favourable for the proceeding and my cold is very much better I do not mind the little I have remaining in the least. I have been at D^r Baches this evening with Lillie who has read to me her Aunts last letters very interesting ones from Brussels, Ghent Antwerp and Waterloo she writes so well it is like reading the very finest book of travels & she has read so much herself about the places she is now visiting that she ferrets out everything and gives the details much better than any mere book compiler could do. she deplores the present state of our country & feels dreadfully / unhappy about the war she being so far removed that news reaches her after quite an interval she has felt very anxious too about the Bache boys. D^r Hewson Bache has been elected Brigade Surgeon and is now at Fortress Monroe Albert is still at home. There has been a loud call for blankets & stockings tomorrow George is to send some off. Emma is knitting stockings she has had it for work during the journey & as it is her first attempt at hose she progresses wonderfully I think making them of coarse blue yarn I commence tomorrow on a fresh pound of yarn & see what I can do does Walter need any? Mrs Loney writes the ladies are all busy as bees knitting and in going from place to place you hear the click of knitting needles in the cars & boat continually ladies here knit in the boat that have summer residences on the river as they come to town. Goodnight dear Mother give my kindest love to all & a kiss to yourself from

                                                                                               

Yr affectionate daughter

Susan

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