Auburn Feb 12^th1860

My dear Mother
I was much pleased
to receive your letter of Monday last
and learn that you were all well.
Aunty moved just a week ago, and I am
spending my second Sunday at home alone,
the house looks quite deserted and cold
and had I not been busy most of the
time during the week I should have been
very lonely. I find Aunt Clary still
continues doing everything to make her boarders
comfortable, in which she succeeds admirably
with all except Mr Eldred, who is under
the continual temptation of eating more than
is good for him. Dennis has been sick
for the past few days, and I have another
man in his place, who takes excellent care of
the horses and cows. Yesterday I was
on the dam all day filling the ice house
and accomplished so much more than has

been done any day before, that I really
surprise all the men, as well as myself,
heretofore under other supervision, the men
have succeeded in getting 30 loades of ice in
the house per day. Yesterday I worked with
them myself from seven in the morning until
six at night during which time we got in
and packed away 78 loads. I hope that
with one more such days work we shall have
it finished.
I need hardly say how much I was
surprised and pleased to learn that Father
thought favorably of a partnership with Mac.
I had not the slightest idea that he would
have time either to think or express any
opinion in the matter. Mac and myself
had much conversation on the subject before he
went away and came to the conclusion that it
would require a capital of about 4 or $5,000 between
us, but for a commencement I think a less
sum would answer, if you really think
that Father would favor the project next
spring. I will write to Mac to make

no [ father ] arrangements about going west
until I have seen him, he intends
returning here some time in April and
the cashiership will be kept open for him until
that time.
I have almost made up my mind to sell
or exchange “Frank” for a larger and gentler
horse, for I fear he will never answer for any
one else to drive except myself, nor should
I dare to trust him with anybody but a good
driver so that he would be of little use to me
next summer, this of course would be provided
I could find him a good home with some
one who understood the management of a good
horse. I am glad that the box
of dresses escaped being lost with the tea
the express company ought to be responsible
for the loss.
I saw Burr Griswold a moment when
I came through N. York and he told me
that he thought the box could be got out
of the clutches of the Custom House in about
a week sooner [ from ] that time, if your next letter

says it has not been rec’d I will
drop him a line about it. If the Republicans
should ever have the power, among other
reformes, one for a different regulation of the
Custom House would be quite appropriate.
I asked Aunty about the manuscript which
she says she did up in a new envelope and
addressed to Father, have you looked in the
letter basket? perhaps it may have been put
in there.
We were much alarmed last Thursday by
the report in the N.Y. papers that “Mr Seward
was called home by death in his family,”
a telegraph from Fred however stated shortly
after that it was Mrs Grier, which I suppose
was not unlooked for by her family.
The Sun has just come out brightly and
bids fair to spoil my ice for tomorrow.
Love to all
Jenny sends love also
affectionately your son
Will