Newton, Lower Falls. Oct. 17^th.

 

Dear Ned,

            I have a capital opportunity to send you a letter more with the object of saying goodbye than any-thing else. I suppose you will be surprised to see whence my letter sails and it was on account of my change of residence that I did not know you had left till two or three days after your departure. The last Friday and Saturday before you sailed I passed at the Misses Sumner's watching with Aunt Abigail who died on Tuesday. On Sunday night I heard of the death of Dr. Nichols of Newton Lower Falls and on Monday I was settled at that place it is a small village two miles from the Upper Falls. I have gone into Dr. Nichols house and board with his family bought his horse and chaise sleigh buffalo's and medicines. Have got a nice young horse 7 yrs old and a buggy nearly new which has just been undergoing a thorough repair in Mr. Lyon's hands. The prospect for practice is very good though I have a competitor in Dr. Maynard who has put up his sign on the opposite side of the street. this Dr. Maynard is the man who had the controversy with Sam Bigelow on the discovery of the solution of guncotton. Dr. Edw. M Larson leaves the place for 6 months and recommends me to his patients. Mary Lyon and her father were here yesterday to return my buggy. There are no belles in this village with the exception of the parson's daughters who are great flirts. 

 

the only church in the village is an Episcopalian one which I am obliged to attend in order to retain my popularity though I must say it is hard for me to refrain from saying that it is very irksome to me to sit through the service. I expect to have John Nichols for a student this winter. I have this afternoon extracted a polypus from a man's nose and am attending a boy whose scrotum was nearly torn off in the mill. this is a great place for minor surgery. I wish to commission you to purchase a pocket case of instruments and bring or send it to me if you need the funds send me word how to remit them.

 

I sent to Mary Howe to remit me some letters for you but as I have not received them suppose that my message failed it is too late now for me to ride over there and get letters. Laura informed me that Phipps ordination would take place next month so I suppose she will accept a call to Framingham before long. I suppose I shall be the only old bachelor of the lot unless some of the rustic beauties of the place spunk up. however the Boston girls straggle out here once in a while. Deacon Grant owns land in the town and quite a flourishing village named Grantville is growing up within a half a mile of us. I had a pleasant walk with his daughters to the bridge over the river through which the aqueduct is built it is about an eighth of a mile from the village built of the same granite as the reservoir wall at Brookline and when seen from ¼ of a mile up the river its arches and the bends in the river are very beautiful. Pickerel are pretty thick in the river I have not tried my fortune yet and think I shall defer it for the present. 

 

I hope you will keep some sort of a journal while you are abroad so that a fellow can see what you have been up to especially let us know whatever improvements in practice strike you. I don't suppose I shall here or see much that would interest you in this little village and I suppose your correspondents at home will keep you booked up with Brookline news There is an old lady here grandmother of Mary Paxon who tells me that she will be married next month and move into Boston that will interfere somewhat with the musical arrangements for the winter what will the Brookline people do in the absence of two such important personages as we are I suppose Ned Atkinson will keep stirring. Sam Greele has been living in this village engineering or surveying on the water-works. he has just got an appointment for the winter on the Rutland road in Vermont. He seemed as nervous as ever cracking the joints of his fingers do you ever see Greele without having Farnsworth suggested to your mind. I saw the death of Thos twetts brother in the paper you remember he married Miss Oliver about a year ago. You must give me credit for this letter as it is written very late in the evening and must go into Boston at 2½ o'clk in the morning write me as soon as you can and believe as ever yrs truly

                                                                                                           

Eustis Francis.

 

Dr. E. A. Wild.

Paris France

 

[overleaf]

 

T. Eustis Francis

rec^d Jan. 6. 1849

ans^d

 

Dr. Edw. A. Wild

Paris France

 

Kindness of Dr Ward

SOURCES