University of Virginia Library

I must appear very negligent to you, after promising to
write you an account of our journey home, to be silent so long. My
only excuse is, that I have been just as busy as I possibly could be
ever since our arrival, and although it is very true that I might at
any time almost have written you a few lines, I did not feel as if
I cared to send a letter unless I could have time to say every thing
you would like to hear. We have been quite anxious to hear how you
are. I do hope you have improved greatly since we left. To begin at
the beginning, the morning we left Harrisonburg we had a very pleasant
ride to Staunton, where we found Mr. Smith ready to receive us
at the stage office. We stayed at the American Hotel where I was
very much pleased, it seems to me a much better house than the Virginia.
I found Mr. Smith looking considerably worse than when he was
with us in Harrisonburg but it was rather the effects of his indisposition
at the springs than any present complaint for he is on the
whole quite well now. Tell Aunt Caroline he asked me directly where
she was, and regretted with me that she did not come. We found all
well at home except Ma's servants all of whom have been sick in turn
I believe. Maria did not return home until yesterday and I found
her compnay very pleasant although we had to keep Annie separate
from Eliza. One reason I did not write to you immediately was that
she begged me to let her take my place, and something prevented her
accomplishing it, but she says she will certainly let you hear from
her before long. Grandpa & Grandma intend returning to Philadelphia
in about ten days. George has not yet decided whether he will accompany
them, but he seems disposed to do so. Yesterday they saw
in the newspapers an account of old Dr. Patterson's death, which
accounts for his son's not writing. He has been paralysed and perfectly
helpless for a long time, which I suppose must reconcile his
family somewhat to his death, as life could no longer be desirable
to him. Last night Charles Wertenbaker and some other young men
constructed a balloon of tissue paper, and you never saw anything
ascend more beautifully than it did. It went up so high that it appeared
like a distant star, and so far off that the most far sighted
could not see it descend. I thought the boys certainly deserved
great credit for their ingenuity. The idea was of ballooning was
suggested by Mr. Elliott's ascension last week which was a very successful
one, although he came down only 7 miles from here. I have
just heard that Aunt Maria is at pa's, but have not seen her yet.
Pa still speaks of visiting you again this vacation if he can raise
the wherewithal, and he will be pretty sure to do that. Edward has
not yet returned, but Ma expects him soon. You will wonder I daresay
why I have been so busy, but it is easy to explain when I tell
you that I found all the preserves I had made spoiling from not
having been closed up, and I set to work immediately to make them
over as well as some fresh. Lucy has not come back yet, and we

have had some company every day since we have been at home, with
an inexperienced young girl only for help. Yesterday Grandpa &
Grandma and Mr. & Mrs. Bledsoe & their daughter dined here, and
I must say I gave them rather a poor dinner although I did the
best I could under the circumstances. Mrs. Bledsoe talks in true
Yankee style, but seems to be a well informed amiable woman. Miss
Sophy Bledsoe is very pleasing in appearance, and I hope they will
improve upon farther acquaintance.

Mrs. McGuffey is suffering a good deal from a rising
breast, and he baby is exceedingly delicate also, it will be
wonderful if either of them live long. Mr. & Mrs. Minor are still
at the Springs. Dr. Cabell's family are also absent. Indeed the
University looks almost as much