Phil^a Nov 2^d

 

My dear Mother

                        Until your letter reached me yesterday I did not realise I had not written to you last Sunday as I firmly intended I am sure I am very sorry as I know you are anxious to hear about Edward who is gradually but steadily improving. his progress is necessarily slow; but he is very patient. he suffers a great deal with neuralgia, and is often made restless at night by it. the Dr wants him to get out and go about as much as he can, he says there is nothing will be of as much service to him, and he has been in the square opposite our windows three times to walk, and it amuses him to feed the squirrels grey & black for they are very tame, & some of them will eat the nuts from his hand. he enjoys the fresh air too extremely, and is so near home he can come in the first moment he feels weary. after his first effort at walking he reached the dining room sofa, and slept there two hours. he walks very feebly indeed very very slowly and yet he likes to go out alone we / watch him from behind the window blinds and can go to him in a moment it will be a long time dear mother before he can leave us & I do not feel as if he would come north then as he wishes to settle some business in Washington then, but not to remain, he will certainly telegraph to you before he reaches Providence and we shall write his movements too; but I do hope you will not allow yourself to be too cold in the house without the furnace fires. you have certainly plenty of wood, and I hope you keep good large fires. I am glad father is well enough to walk out from town, it is certainly the very best thing he can do he will recover strength of mind and body sooner in that way than in any other And sister Mary you tell me is away with her children I would like so much to see her here, nothing has been said lately of little Ned has he continued to improve, or is he at a stand at present. I have been writing to Walter finishing a letter commenced yesterday and I told him sister Mary was in New York; but I could not tell him anything of Eddie I will enclose his last letter which came / two days since we are sorry to see he has not received Emmas last letter telling him all about Edwards progress, and I wrote immediately but could not finish the letter then the interruptions were so numerous I have had trouble with cooks lately, my woman I had all summer declared herself sick, altho' I had my doubts, yet I got another soon as might be & could not keep her but two weeks with all my patience & fortitude. I engaged another to come as soon as she should leave, and the time came & she disappointed me, therefore we have been without any for two days and at present I have not even the prospect of one altho' my name is down at two intelligence offices four or five have offered but I would not have in my home some of the women sent it appears good servants are extremely scarce now owing to the requirements of servers & pasters on military [?] however that may be, I am still without which is terribly inconvenient at this time.

 

Edward saw your last letter and was quite troubled at it we have talked it over too since and I am / very glad Sister Mary is having a change of scene. E would send kind messages if he knew I was writing both Ellen & himself however are in their own room she is totally absorbed in him and he does absolutely need all the attention of one person he is so helpless and I can see it annoys him a book he was reading this afternoon fell on the floor and when I exclaimed what's that he said "too few hands that was all" poor fellow he tries his best not to be so helpless and it is sad to see him sometimes managing in every way to help himself taking things in his teeth to hold he reads a good deal in bed with a book frame on his chest eating his breakfast at the same time he has been reading D^r Kane and was deeply interested in that we try to keep all writing & business out of his mind it excites & wearies him and he does not sleep well after it. For ourselves we are all well thank kind Heaven and with much love to father and to yourself believe me your

                                                                                               

Affectionate daughter Susan

 

Mrs James Farnum has

a fine son of nearly three weeks old and Miss Farnum

is as happy as she can be over it.

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