As I am too little accustomed of late to writing letters, I really quite dread the undertaking, and as to writing a decent kind of a letter, it is almost out of the question, however I hope all errors will be overlooked.
Since I last heard from you, you have been deeply afflicted, for it must be a great affliction to be deprived of the watchful care and guardianship of a kind and tender fatherEditorial Note: Nathaniel Holmes. But Augusta, there is one who has promised to be a "father to the fatherless"Ps 68:5 A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation. , and if we go to himEditorial Note: God, we shall indeed find consolation. Have you not been enabled in this time of sorrow and distress to cast all your care upon Him who careth for usI Pet 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: I Pet 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. ? I believe you once told me that you had a hope in Christ. If so will not need to turn to the world for comfort, and for balm for your wounded heart, for in Christ "all fulness dwells"Col 1:19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; Col 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. .
I have often thought, that to be deprived of either of my parents would be death to me, that I could not wish to live. But that, I am fearful is indulging a wrong state of heart,— If we and our friends are consecrated to Christ we may expect to meet in another and far more desirable world than this, to spend eternity togetherAs Written:to-gether.
I never have experienced the anguish of losing a very near and dear friend, but it seems to me that it must be sundering some of the nicest chords of existence severing the ties that bind us down to earth.
And O when we are afflicted would that our affections might be weaned from earth, and set on more enduring and more worthy objects.
I have seen Mr. Lawrence several times during the past winter- I think he told me once that he called at SandborntonEditorial Note: Sanbornton Bridge (later Tilton), New Hampshire. He was here about 2 weeks since, on his way to PlymouthEditorial Note: Probably Plymouth, New Hampshire. Mr. and Mrs. Stow have established themselves at CincinnatiEditorial Note: Cinncinati, Ohio and have set up a High SchoolAs Written:High-School or Academy or something of the kind.
By the prospectus, I should think they were setting out on a large scale. Tuition in the higher branches 15.00Editorial Note: $15.00 in 1840 is the equivalent of $446.23 in 2020.. His health has improved.
I received a letterEditorial Note: This letter is not extant. from Miss Greenough a few weeks since. She was at BoscawenEditorial Note: Boscawen, New Hampshire. Had been attending school. Miss Balch was at Concord VermontAs Written:Vt. in Oct. last. I have not heard from her since; neither have I answered her letterEditorial Note: This letter is not extant.. Elisabeth Noyes was at Bradford VermontAs Written:Vt. a few weeks since, and probably is now. I received a letterEditorial Note: This letter is not extant. from our daughter Betsey in Dec. but have not answered it.
When I was in BostonEditorial Note: Boston, Massachusetts last August, I saw Maria Ellison, but saw no other girls that were at Plymouth–Editorial Note: Teachers’ Seminary, Plymouth, New Hampshire Miss Copland & Humphrey were out of town. Miss Copland has been deeply afflicted since I saw her. I should think it would have a tendency to render her less gay than formerly. I had a delightful journey. I visited Mt. Auburn-Editorial Note: Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts & Cushing’sEditorial Note: Possibly John Perkins Cushing (1787-1862) garden. They were delightful places. I could have stayed hours at Mt. A―Editorial Note: Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts had I not been exceedingly fatigued, as the day was very warm. NahantEditorial Note: Nahant, Massachusetts is also a beautiful place when the weather is extremely warm. It is refreshingly cool, and the prospect is certainly delightful, according to my taste.
And now Augusta, I must close requesting you to write me soon.