.NDM1.NTky

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via Etna [underscored] 4th St. – Wednesday night 3rd June 1863 –

Dear Ann

You know I dislike making use of “pri= =vate [‘private’ underscored] opportunities” for letters that are interesting [underscored] or im =portant, [‘important’ underscored] & always prefer the sure & prompter delivery acquired by them passing thro’ the Post Office. I sup= =pose you are very unlikely to meet with another such “private opportunity,” & if you should, I hope that in so far as I [underscored] am to be the favored recipient of your letter, you will in all [double underscore] d[struck-through] cases decline avail=

ing yourself of such offers, & let me meet the wel

=come [‘welcome’ underscored] tax of postage instead, whether it be 1\-, 2\- or even 4\-. – With parcels [underscored] it is, of course, a different matter. –

It was about 2\- [struck-through] 2 p.m. [underscored] today when Matthew come into the office, accompanied with David Spence & Mr. Mather, whom I suppose he had met as they entered at the street door – Having already heard of you & Mytton in our letters from Mr. Lane Smith, Mr. Hodgson & Mr. Burton (E. Heath & Co.) I did not feel so anxious to see your letters as I should have been, had I known that your wounded eye was still giving you so much pain, trouble & inconve= =nience: and I am truly sorry that such was the case, & that you should have taxed it so [‘taxed..so’ underscored] severely in writing so much to come by Mr.

  besides all your inland [underscored] correspondence

Spence. But I am very glad you at once con =sulted Dr. Neill, & it is a relief to know that you were in such skillful hands. – I also conclude that your own mind was at rest in regard to it or you could hardly think of undertaking so soon [‘so soon’ underscored] as the 25th ulto [25 May] a journey to Sedgwick, where you would be beyond the reach of proper aid in case of need, but where you would naturally desire to go as soon as possible in Mary Wakefield’s present

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very painful condition. – but once at Sedgwick, amid so much quiet, [underscored] & beautiful verdure, [underscored] you would be better placed for the chance of natu- ral [‘natural’ underscored] recovery than at Welfield Place. Thus I trust we shall soon have the satisfaction of learning that this ailment has wholly vanished.

I feel much obliged both to [Matthew] Fontaine [Maury] & to George Bold for the very useful aid they render =ed, at such an unseasonable [underscored] hour of landing, & with such great hurry & confusion, from their being so great [struck-through] great a crowd of passengers, & each one trying to get the start of his or her neighbours! – The quiet of Sunday, after such a scene, & the opportunity of returning thanks for a safe & prosperous voyage, must have been most welcome [‘most welcome] underscored] to both [underscored] of you.

Your letter is now before me on at [struck-through] the oval table, after having been read by Matthew & the family in Irving Place & by William & Sarah; And after Walker has read it tomorrow morning, I purpose dispatching it by the 3 1/2 p.m. mail to Harriet, to whom I sent two days ago, your & Mytton’s sea [underscored] letters to me. And I only wish I had the means of sending to Nan [underscored] all letters from you – past, present, & future – since you turned your face towards England, as they could not but have the most cheering [‘most cheering’ underscored] effects, rejoicing, as she would, in the pleasure you are deriving from old scenes & old friends, & from the variety incident to change of locality & occupation.

I have not time to make further comments in what I have rec[eive]d from you today, or I might

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sit up all night, instead of securing a good sleep in bed preparatory to rising betimes in the morn[in]g. –

I thought David Spence looking very well, tho’ just as thin [underscored] as ever. And I am pleased with what I have seen of Mr. Mather. – They are at the 5th Ave. Hotel – I asked them to dine with us tomorrow, but Mr. M[ather] said he was to leave for Boston tomorrow afternoon. – I then asked them to come today [underscored] – just as Mr. Hodg =son often did – tho’ I could not offer them better fare than cold [underscored] roast beef: and they accepted this invitation for 6 p.m. – I then told David [Spence] that during Mr. Mather’s absence in Boston, he had best take up his quarters in

                                        as 

4th St.; - & he seemed a good deal tempted ^ when [struck-through] I strongly “pressed” him to do so; but was unde =cided, & said he would think it over & let me me know at dinner. – After they had left the office, I wrote a note to Sarah, inform= =ing her of the expected guests at dinner, & enclosing your letter for her & Mytton’s for her (neither of which I have yet read) – I read over to John Russell [‘read...Russell’ underscored] what I had written to Sarah, requesting some addition to the cold beef – such as a pair of fowls, roasted or boiled, if there was time for Mary to cook them, or any thing else that she or Sarah would prefer to the fowls. And I told John Russell that in case Sarah was out – as would be very likely – he was to read to Mary [‘read to Mary’ underscored] what I had written & to give her $3, that I put in the envelope to go

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to market with – He left the office on this mission about 2 3/4 or 2.50 p.m., & was directed, in pass =ant, to leave at King’s Sons your note for Mrs. K[ing], & then to get with a yellow car & ride to 4th St. & back. – He returned soon after 4, & reported that Miss Sarah was out, but that Mary un=

                would

=derstood it all, & ^ instantly get ready to go to market with the $3. – The 2 gentlemen reappeared at our office & I told them (as they had much to do down town,) not to bother them

selves to go to 5th Ave Hotel for any toilet ar

=rangements, but to steer at once for 4th St., where they could wash hands etc. in my room.

I told W[illia]m they were coming to dinner, & asked him to tell Walker, that they might both be up in good time. – W[illia]m then sat down & read a letter that David [Spence] had bro[ugh]t for him, & yours to me, & he saw Walker afterwards. – And as Matthew was leaving the office for the day, about 4 p.m., I gave him my letter from you for the ladies to ready, & said I would call for it this evening, when taking my walk after T[ea],

I occupied myself at the Books until 5.10, & then, after stopping a few moments at Gilpin’s room, I rode home & got here at 5.50, & found David [Spence] & Mr. Mather already here & seated, alone, in the front parlour. – I took them up into my room, - Sarah was occupied, & seemed a little hurried, as it was 4 1/2 p.m. when she came in & got my note. – By 6.15 dinner was on the table; & we (6) sitting down to ti.

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(5)

There was no [underscored] “cold Beef,” but in lieu of it a beautiful roasted fore-quarter of Lamb! – for Mary could not meet with any fowls.

There was Mint Sauce with it; plenty of roast =ed potatoes, Asparagus, plenty of Lettuces & nicely prepared salad mixture. – And for desert, a dish of fresh strawberries [underscored] (the first I have seen) a dish of “scrambled” fresh Pine-apple, & a sponge-cake. – Tthe decanter of new Port being but 3/4th or 2/3rds full, I filled it up out of the reserved decanter of the older Wine, & there was also a decanter of No. 1 [underscored] of Mr. Stubb’s Sherry.

The party went off very well indeed, [‘very...indeed’ double underscored] judg= =ing by the frequent roars of mirth. – Nothing could have been better contrived, (in your absence) [‘in...absence’ underscored]

Our guests did not stay for T[ea]; as they said they had been up since 3 or 4 a.m.[‘3..m’underscored] & therefore were much in want of sleep. – David finally declined the invitation to bed & board; as Mr. Mather will soon return from Boston, where they are both [underscored] to start for Wash[ingto]n & in the meanwhile David had so much visiting etc. to do, he would for that reason prefer the Hotel. –

After they had gone, Sarah said she was very glad that they had not accepted my invitation for tomorrow, & had come today instead; for whilst we were at dinner, the Postman brought a letter for her, that Ann then handed to her & Sarah said it was from Miss Dunning, [‘Miss Dunning’ underscored] whom has no one with her except the nurse, & is more unwell than usual (S[arah] says “very sick & confined to her bed”) & urges & begs her to come at once [‘at once’ underscored] & spend a week [‘a week’ double underscored] with her! – I remarked that she

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could go tomorrow, but suggested instead of a week, that she might remain until Monday, [underscored] -for that Miss D[unning] might be sick in this way during the whole period of your absence! [‘during...absence’ underscored]

Sarah stuck to the week, however, & said that these attacks were neither longer [underscored] [?][struck-through] nor shorter [underscored] than that period. – By the time this talk was over, the Gas was lighted in the par= =lour, & I sat down to read Mrs. Cox’s 3rd letter letter [struck-through] within ’48 hours’ (it is a very [underscored] long one) that reached me to -day, & Sarah soon took a nap in my arm chair, as I did in yours. – It was late when she called me to T[ea]; & so, after 1 cup, I hurri= =ed off & rode up to 18th St. & reached Matthew’s about 10, or only a few moments before. – He let me in. Mrs. Gilpin & her 2 daughters (but not Mary H. Maury) were still in the parlour, & & the old lady seemed as well as usual; she had just finished the usual [hit?] at Back -gammon with Matthew. – My letter from you had been read, & I brought it away with me to be read here by Sarah & my Walker.

I told Matthew, that after posting a note of mine to Capt[ain] Rogers asking him to call & see us tomorrow, or as soon as he could, as to St. Th[oma]s, [church] (& after M[atthew] had left the office) Mr. [Panton?] had happened to stop in whilst Dav= =id [Spence] was there (where that had a great greeting) & that I had asked Mr. P[anton] to see Capt R[ogers] this even[in]g – which he said he would -& tell him the purport of my note.

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I thought this would be pleasant tidings to Matthew, as he wants to have the St. Tho[ma]s affair settled one way or other, & off his

as soon as possible

mind ^, - I was therefore taken aback by M[atthew] informing me that he will most likely not be at the office tomorrow inasmuch as it is arranged that Mary is to set out to- =morrow, by 10 a.m. train, on her visit to the Fishers at Phil[adelphi]a (so your note to Mary & the one to Mr. Fisher came most seasonably today) & that he, [underscored] in default of finding fit escort when [s]he goes to the Cars, will accom= =pany here as far as Tacony [north of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania] – Thus the chan

ces are against M[atthew] making any St. Tho[ma]s pro

 this week

gress ^ unless it be on Saturday. –

As I pursued my walk from his house to 23rd St. & back by 5th Ave., I was thinking on this malapropos interruption to Matthew’s

                      also

St. Th[oma]s progress, & ^ on the “Dunnington” expedi=

tion for tomorrow; & I concluded that in

=stead of the “Monkey” being slain “first day” -he was still flourishing, [‘still flourishing’ underscored] both in Irving Place & in Fourth St.! – a very crusty – old bachelor – [‘crusty...bachelor’ underscored] like conclusion you may think.

When I came in, W[illia]m admitted me, & Walk =er was on the sofa reading the Express, so I gave him your letter to read, & presently he was carrying it off to bed, to read in the morn[in]g. But at my request her returned it to me. Sarah then went the rounds, & after telling me she intends starting by the 8 .a.m. [‘8 a.m.’underscored]

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train, & that W[illia]m is to see her off, she was re= =tiring too, without [underscored] having read my [underscored] letter from you. – I then offered it to her, remarking that I should send it tomorrow to Harriet, & she

                                             proper

of course [underscored], then read it, - & with ^ interest. [‘&...interest’ underscored]

I desired her to call me tomorrow morn[in]g

  she was 

(when ^ sufficiently apparelled) as I said that I also wish to breakfast early, so as to be at the office early in place of Matthew.

Mr. Mather has bro[ugh]t a very nice book, as a present from Mr. Hodgson to Miss Dunning. It is a small-quarto volume, beautifully bound, of 171 pages, of selections in prose & verse of religious character, with a preface by Dr. Cha[rle]s Jno [John] Vaughan of Doncaster, entitled, “Rays of Sunshine for Dark days” with two lines on the title-page; “Take wing my soul & mount up higher, Since earth fulfils not the desire” Like the rest of Dr. Vaughan’s works, it is published by Macmillan & Co. of Cambridge, & of 23 Henri- =etta St, Convent Garden, London [’23...London’ underscored] – 1860.

It struck me (as I observed to Sarah, who is to take it out to Miss D[unning] tomorrow) that a copy of it, if not too late, [‘not too late’ underscored] would be an acceptable present from you to poor Mrs. Duer. [‘Mrs. Duer’ underscored] – But S[arah] remarked, she thought it would be [‘would be’ double underscored] too late!

(Office) 5th June – I rose, without anyone waking me at 6 1/2 a.m. yesterday, & all was [‘all was’ struck-through] at once went up stairs, & waked up W[illia]m & Walker, - & I think also the S[arah] was first wakened by my rapping at her door – For the rest of yesterday’s history -is it not narrated fully in the Chronicles of my letter of last night – press copy of which I now enclose.

Matthew is making good progress today in preliminary enquiries after recusant Vault-owners Yours affectionately R[utson] Maury

[Marginalia – left side] He has seen Capt[ain] Roger’s son [underscored], who says his father will be in town on Tuesday,

when he will ask him to call at our office

[Marginalia – right side] He has also seen [‘also seen’ underscored] young Mr. Stagg, the co owner of 2 Vaults along with Mr. C. [Toune?] & Mr. S[tagg] says Mr T[oune?] is now living with him on Staten Island & he will speak to him this evening. M[atthew] got the address of [Morris?] Robinsons son. He lives in 5th Ave. & not in any kind of business [now?].

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(9) Friday night – 5th June William was not present nor any one else but Sarah, during our conversation on Wednesday evening prepara =tory to her proposed visit to “Dunnington,” and I did not know but that she left with the purpose of extend =ding it to “a week,” [‘a week’ underscored] until I asked him [William] this morning whether she had named to him the day she would return: - and he said – “Yes: - Monday.” Had I known this, I should not have taken the trouble to

    to

write ^ her at all – or certainly not so long a letter, but it was not time thrown away, as the press copy of what I wrote, answers about as well as so much of original manuscript [‘original manuscript’ underscored] to you, I suppose.

By this afternoon’s mail I wrote 3 pages of note paper (almost as compactly written as the present one) to cousin “Jody.” I headed it without locality, simply “5th June,” & did not begin with “dear Cousin,” or a dear any body else – not even “Sir:” - & I omitted all surnames except when telling him that “E. Heath & Co. [‘E...Co’ underscored] had accepted the £70 bill, but that I had no letter from the party to whom I sent the 1st copy of it, nor from the one he was to hand it to. – I said that by the steamer that left 2 days ago, I wrote both to the “first party” – (Tom Bold) “and to Uncle H[oratio] – informing each of the change of plan I had recommended to him on the 28th ulto”[28 May] – I told him of the letters from you via Persia, 2 days ago, & observed that they made no mention of any of your American kid and friends on the other side – I enlarged upon the subject of injury to your eye, & of Dr. Neill having “turned both eyes in side out” [‘inside out’ underscored] (to use your own words.) I named your plan of going to Sedgwick on the 25th Ulto., [25 May] & said that you would thus miss seeing “Tom’s wife [‘Tom’s wife’ underscored] [Mary Bold] & her mother,” as the Europa (as I told him) was spoken by the Persia on the even[in]g of the 24th, 20 miles W[est] of Cape

[Marginalia] This morning I asked Mary when I ordered dinner, whether they abstained from

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Cape Clear, & thus could not reach L[iver]pool until the night [underscored] of 25th or in the day time of 26th, I said there was no chance even of your being able to write in time to your nephews at L[iver]pool to call on “Toms wife & Mrs. P_ before they had left the Adelphi for London & Paris. (-and as I wrote this, I thought how lucky it was that the head-gear from Miss Mary Pollard went in a letter [underscored] to you instead of being entrusted as I once thought of, to these ladies to hand to you.)

I observed that no later tidings from Nan [underscored] had reach =ed us since her letter of 6th April, rec[eive]d by you 2 days before you embarked. – I signed my letter to him “R”; and suggested that he should enclose it to his “sister Belle,” [‘sister Belle’ underscored] (with my love to her & his family) as some of its contents would probably be interesting to her. – This letter to Jody will thus answer a double purpose; & it may also prove the means enlightening Nan, & of eliciting later news of her [underscored], to enlighten you & us. –

At dinner, I told W[illia]m of this letter to “Jody;” & he in turn told me that he is intending next week after Sarah’s return, to pay a visit to “Jody.”

I walked down town this morning & reached the news-room in W[illia]m St. by 10 1/4: & would also have walked home again, but John Russell having obtain =ed leave of absence for the rest of the day at 3 p.m., I staid at the office until 5.10 or 5.15, posting up the Ledger from the Day Book – the entries in the latter having already been made for all transactions

                                                       (how Mary Bold must envy me!)

up to [‘up to’ underscored] the present moment [‘present moment’ underscored] ^: - for I wish to

hand over the Books to Walker on the 8th inst, [8 June] in at least as complete a state as he on 2nd Jan[uar]y, handed them over to us, - & not as Mr. B[igland]’s book-keeper left them for him.

After I had ridden home, getting here at only 10 minutes short of 6, I was admitted by Mary, who handed me 2 letters: - one from Miss Gilpin

[Marginalia- left side] from meat on Fridays, & as she said “yes” – I directed her to give us no other dish

[Marginalia – right side] than a “ pepper pot” of the remnants of cold meat served with mashed potatoes, & baked [br...?[. Had it been Turtle or Venison it could not have had more “justice” than it received.

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                                for me

for Sarah, & the other a thick packet ^ sealed with black-

                        I

wax, & (as I saw before ^ opened it) from Mrs. King. I feared this last contained some sad [underscored] announcement & felt instant relief when I read the note inside, as follows: - “Dear Rutson – I do not know Ann’e direction, & will be obliged if you will send my letter with yours. – Highwood is looking most lovely & I shall be glad if you will pay me a visit – Yours truly S. R. King – Highwood 4th June.” –

Perhaps I may go accordingly on all [struck-through] Sunday after our dinner, in case David Spence should not come to dine with us then, as I asked him to day to do – but he said he had so many engagements now that he could not remember at the moment whether he had or had not promised to dine elsewhere on Sunday. – I told him to come or not, as best suit= =ed him . – Any how, after Walker shall have resumed his post at the office, I shall feel my= =self at liberty to take some relaxation of all kinds, & may thus perhaps go over often to Highwood dur =ring the summer, & take a quiet family dinner with Mrs. King – taking, if needful, my ear trum =pet [‘ear trumpet’ underscored] along with me; - and who knows, but that after Matthew’s returns from the Falls of St. Anthony & being comfortably fixed at Cornwall, he & I may sometimes change places, as Elizabeth, more than once, kindly urged me to do last year: - or if there be very little actual business to be done at the office, & Mr. & Mrs. Gardner should send me a very pressing [‘very pressing’ underscored] invitation (as our Cousin E[lizabeth?]. B[old]. would say) to spend a week or two at Ferry Hill, I may accept it. – For 13 days passed, the weather, as you may have observed by the extracts of my daily record, has been so cool, that I have felt no yearning for a holiday beyond that which Sunday always brings me, - but I may feel very differently when the

[Marginalia – right side ] from the 2 W’s [William and Walker] & myself. – She gave us by my orders a dish of green peas again

today.

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Temperature ranges in the 80’s & 90’s! –

After dinner to-day I hardly expected to take a nap, but did so nevertheless, & was waked up by Ann informing me, a little before 9, that the Tay-[underscored] kettle was on the table. – I had made some progress in reading the first of Sam Smith’s 3 final letter from Bom= bay, (which I intend enclosing to Rutson tomorrow.) -& since I came in form my walk after T[ea], & ‘ere I began to cover this sheet, I completed the perusal & was so much interested in them, that I almost thought that you [underscored] would have been pleased to read the 2 last ones.

I presume that the whole series will be published at L[iver]pool as a pamphlet, & find extensive circulation on both sides the Atlantic; as it is by far the best & most comprehensive treatise extant upon this important ques= =tion of Cotton Production in India.

After 1 cup of T[ea], & laying aside a 2nd one on the Chimney piece, I put 1 of my photographs in my pocket for “ Aunt E[lizabeth]” (in accordance with her own repeated requests) lit a cigar, & walked up to Irving Place, & sat about 1/2 an hour with them. They were in the back [underscored] room, now matted [underscored] as the front one is undergoing that process. – All were there except Mary, (from where the letter that was to have come from Tacony today, has not [underscored] yet arrived) – and one of Dr. Drapers sons – not the eldest, I think, -was with them. I told him I felt aggrieved at rec[eivin]g no reply to my note to his sister V[irgini]a, He knew nothing of it, but observed that he did [underscored] know she rec[eive]d at that time “a letter from another [double underscored] party.” [underscored] – I said I had presumed so, & that I had no am =bition to be placed in the fore-ground. All this was in pleasantry, of course. He had not been at Hastings since Monday, but said they were all well there, & that the cherries were growing apace. – I amused them with Harriet’s account of Strawberry picking, which I said reminded me of the operations of the ladies of Weathers= =field [‘Weathersfield’ underscored] among the Owens-fields! – [Her letter to Sarah today was so pleasant & funny on these subjects, that I got Matth- =ew to read it, as well as W[illia]m before I sent it off by the early mail.

M[atthew] just had his photograph taken, I brought away a copy, that I now enclose. Walker pronounces it “harsh” & it is so from his having sat

[Marginalia] for it, and I presume, on too bright a day. Yours affectionately R[uston] Maury

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4th St. Wednesday night 4 June 1863

Dear Sarah

After parting with you at the yellow care I remained at home until 1/4 past 9, & [?] you did not return, I concluded your had reached the station in time, which I afterwards [heard?] from W[illia]m was the fact, when he called at the office. –

When Walker returned to dinner, I asked him if he had remembered to deliver your note to Mr. Richards; & he said he had.

Before I went down town this morn[in]g I had a talk with Mary, partly to ob= =serve how much pleased I had been with yesterday’s dinner, got up as it was at such short notice, - & then to tell her of our tidings yesterday from your Aunt.

[..................?] 1/2 past 10 & 11, I was agreeably surprised by your Uncle Matthew walking out of the office. [?] [......................................?] but had found a gentleman bound for Phil[adelphi]a with his wife & daughters on seats ad- =joining Sarah [struck-through] Mary’s, & tho’ quite a stranger he had promised to aid her in case of need. – But Capt[ain] Rogers who was expected as a matter of course

[Marginalia – left side and top – clockwise] 5th I [enclose?] a charming letter for your (which I have read) from Harriet. I have one from her too; & one [ple..?] for y[ou]r Aunt on thin paper We were all at breakfast by 8 this morn[in]g – After one [underscored] grand unbroken sleep of 6 hours i rose at 6 1/2 & waked W[illia]m I send a press copy of this to your Aunt to =morrow, - to save some needless writing, & to serve as a part of my custom= =ary report of each days doing; etc. since she left us.

[Marginalia – right side – counterclockwise] I presume you will return on Monday [underscored] by the train that arrived soon after 7 p.m.

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(2) to call on us today in response to my note thro’ the Post office, as well as a verbal message conveyed to him (as we supposed) by Mr. Panton last even[in]g. -never came [‘never came’ underscored] – At last Mr. Pat= =ton himself called about 3 p.m. & told your uncle M[atthew] [.......................?] that Capt R[ogers] is no longer a resident of Jersey City, & has removed to New- =burgh, on the North River, but that a sone of his is boarding in F 16th St. at a house, the No. of which Mr. P[anton] gave to your uncle M[atthew] –

We had dinner shortly after 5 1/2 p. m. today, W[illia]m & Walker being already at home before I was. –

Today I walked [underscored] both up & down, & so had no need to turn out again for the sake of exercise, - & I was on my feet all the time I was at the office from 11 a. m. to 5 p. m. – A good part of that interval was devoted to a long letter to Harriet which I sent by 3 1/2 p. m. mail, enclosing in it your Aunt’s letter to me via Persia.

As I came down stairs, after washing my hands before dinner, I picked up your Aunt’s letter to you via Persia, which I found lying on the little round

[Marginalia] Mrs. Greenes landlady told me that she had been mending in health, somewhat before she left.

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(3) stand, beside your sewing machine; & I now enclose it to you. – I read it, as I was stretched out L position in the front parlour after dinner; & it at once put an end to my design of a very long nap be- =fore T[ea]. – I said to myself – “So Sarah “cannot have seen Mrs. Greene, to deliver “this package, why should not I go? Yes; “I will [underscored] go, & I will have a lately emptied “port-wine bottle thoroughly washed & “cleansed to get risk [struck-through] rid of all the sedi= “=ment & crust, & I will fill it with clear [underscored] “wine & present it to Mrs. Greene.” – Ann did “the washing & I the decanting; and when it was all ready & enveloped, I was about to start, but went up stairs for my ear =trumpet to save the good lady’s throat & lungs in case she had any message to give me for your Aunt: - and again I had to go up [stairs?] to refer to my list of New Year’s calls to find the No. of the house. But at last I sallied forth, & on entering the house door had the mortification to learn that she left yesterday [underscored] for the same spot – Naragansett Bay [Rhode Island] – where she was last year. Her landlady could give me no other address. – If you know the proper one I wish you would at once [double underscore] write to her, with your Aunt’s message & any further particulars that you think would be acceptable. Or if you will send

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(4) me her address. I will write to her myself to which end I have just made a verbatim copy of your Aunt’s message to her.

As I was retuning, the thought struck me I would call at 19 St. James St. & make a present of the bottle of Port to Matilda Van Ness for herself or Mr. Mather. - I did so, & gave her its history, & our news from your Aunt via Persia, & some account of my [underscored] housekeeping, & of our jovial entertain =ment of yesterday, & of your flitting this morning. She accepted the Port; & I came home to a solitary T[ea]; but ‘ere it was fit to pour out I began this epistle, & was thus occupied, when I was joined by Cha[rle]s [underscored] Van Ness, who took 2 cups with me & remained until it was all but 10. He had not seen his sister since my doing so.

Walker was out; & just now come in a little before 11, & after a little talk, in which I asked to be waked when W[illia]m wakes him, he has gone to bed: & as I had but a very short night (less than 4 hours between the sheets), & no nap since, I may soon follow his example. –

Mary gave us a dish of green peas with the cold Lamb today; - but we had [non?] repetition of the Straw-berries. [underscored] –

David [Spence] & Mr. Mather had a glorious sleep last night. – I am under th impression that Mr. M[ather] pays D[avid]’s [Spence] expences for the sake of his company. He went to Boston via R[ail] R[oad] this evening, or afternoon.

I hope Miss Dunning is all the better [now?] for the immediate light of your countenance

Yours affectionately R[utson] Maury