New York, Wednesday Dec. 17th. My dear Frances, I dispatched my last letter for you from New Burgh yesterday
morning. Mr Cary and myself arrived here and took lodgings at this house (Bunklis) last evening. We
were both “pretty considerably homesick,” and stipulated with our hackdriver to bring us by the way
of 205 Broadway to which place we had directed the letters from our two better halves to be forward
-ed. I had the happiness to receive there [ you ] loving and affectionate letter of the 8th instant. I wish I could
cut off the end of the stay I am compelled to make in this part of the state, but it will be endurable if your
letters continue to come with cheering news of your convalescence and the entire health of our dear little
boys you will see dearest that your letter came just after I had left Orange County when I might have
made the arrangement you desire concerning Chloes little girl. I can yet do it perhaps if you still remain
of opinion that it is best, but it will be at great inconvenience. The river is closed now as far as Catskill
and the steamboat ascends no farther than Redhook. It will not be possible for me to leave ^Albany^ before
sometime in January and then the river will be closed as low as New Burgh so that she will have
to go up by land in the stage from Goshen. I cannot very conveniently go from Albany to Goshen to take
her and the prejudice against colored people is so great that we can hardly hope to find any person
willing to take charge of her as a passenger. Under these circumstances I do not readily see how we will
be able to get her to Auburn before the spring opens when an arrangement can more easily be made to
have her safely brought and delivered to us. Think of it again and write to me at Albany and if
it seem advisable to you I will then when ready to leave Albany.