Sunday Nov 26.
My dear Henry,
The little boys were both very sorry they
had not written before when they came to hear your
letter and forthwith commenced writing. Augustus
dispatched his letter the following day and Fred
wishes me to inform you that his was finished
also but I detained it to write myself. I was
too much occupied to do so yesterday. Maria
has been absent the greater part of the last week &
of course it left me little leisure. Her mother
went to New York 5 or 6 weeks ago and did not re-
turn until last night. The woman whom Peter hired to
take care of the children went home sick and the
little creatures were left without any to one to
attend to them. Peter must work all day to provide
them with food. John was taken sick and then I
sent Maria to stay with them until their mother
came home. She deserved whipping for going off and
leaving those little children two of them little more
than babies. She returned late last night after
we had all about concluded she had run away
having overstaid the time she was to have been absent
3 or 4 weeks. Catherine does not make much progress
in learning to do housework as we do, but we
must keep her now until spring when you are
to have the privilege of seeing her safe to Buffalo
thence she goes to Cleaveland and on to Coshocton County
Ohio where her brothers are settled waiting for her
to come and keep house for them. She is very good
natured and like Mrs Benedict has a great many

very desireable negative qualities. I promised to enquire how
far you were from Cleaveland. So much for helps and
housework. I have been to Church this morning, it was
very cold, some snow but not enough to injure the
wheeling. AThough Augustus doubted the propriety of
riding in a wagon when there was snow on the ground
so much as to prefer walking, he is making con-
siderable calculation upon taking me to church with
his pony & Grandpa's cutter this winter, it will
be no easy matter to convince him that it will
not be the most safe conveyance imaginable. If you
have half the trouble in reading that I do in writing
with this poor ink I think you will pay dearly for the
contents of this letter. I have now had ink from
Fosgates Doubledays and Ivison’s. I am now engaged in making
some for myself but unfortunately it is yet unfit for use.
Last Tuesday being delightfully warm Clara Fred and I went
to the Owasco Lake to see Miss Bennett, we found the
roads horrible Clara talked some of walking home. Miss
Bennett is still confined with her [ ancle ] but appears
otherwise well and cheerful, she thinks 6 weeks a
great while to be shut up in her room. I told her she
knew very little about being sick yet. She complimented
you by saying she wished very much to see you as there
was no gentleman whom she so much liked to hear talk
as yourself, so I have told you of it as I suppose she wished
me to do, we called on our return to see Harriet and the
wee ones, she lives very comfortably and very neatly, then we
went to see how Maria succeeded in housekeeping, she seemed to get
along very well. John was quite sick at that time but is better.
The same evening the boys went to see the Siamese Twins & I spent

part of the evening at Mr Luca's, there I found George Debby
and Eliza Horner. We talked of the success of the Whigs and
other matters but there is much on this subject which
I must reserve for another letter as I am now on the outside
of the sheet. I have seen but two letters to you from the
one I mentioned from Peck, the other which was partly
destroyed was from Fitzhugh, Oswego. I am unable to give
the contents but think they were little beside the majority
given at the election. I presume Pa thought them of no
consequence. I will enquire if there are any others at the
office which I think most probable. I am pleased with
the prospect though faint of seeing you before the next
year. I will write again soon, your own Frances.
Fred wishes to superscript this letter himself.
William H. Seward
Westfield
Chautaque County
AUBURN Nov 27 N.Y.18/
Frederick Seward +
F. AS.
Nov 27. 1837

Auburn Nov. 23^d. 1837
My dear Pa, It snowed this morning, and was
pretty cold. The little black kitten mews every
morning before Ma gets up. Ma, Aunt Clara, and I went
up to the Owasco Lake last Tuesday. We went to
Mrs Horner's, Mrs Bennett's. I lost my glove up to
the Owasco Lake, but Ma found it again.
The roads were very bad to the Owasco Lake. I did
not see any sail boats on the Lake. I went to see
the Siamese twins last Tuesday evening, they looked
like the picture. They said that they both had
the fever & ague in Cleaveland, Ohio, but they
generally enjoyed good health. It cost one shilling
for me to see them, and two for Mr McClallen. I saw the
place where they were joined together for they did not have
it covered up. They said that it took them three years
to learn the English language. Ma gave me two
shillings to pay for myself, but Mr. M^cClallen paid
for me. The snow is an inch and a half
deep this morning. I think it pleasent to run in the
snow. I am going to put on Augustuses boots and
run in the snow.
Your affectionate son,
Frederick W. Seward.
W. H. Seward.