I received your two kind Letters of April 1 & 51 I am extreemly sorry to hear that mrs Norten is afflicted in the way that you write me she is, but tell her to keep up a good Heart. I can Sympathize in her Sufferings a Bath of Hot Herbs was the most salutary means made use for me. a poultice of Camomile flowers is also very good, but I hope she is relieved before this time. painfull experience would teach me upon the very first chill, to apply a white Bread poultice because those cold fits are always succeeded by a fever and complaints of the Breast always follow.2 I am glad to hear that my great Nephew [is su]ch a fine child.

When I wrote you last, you may remember that I told you I would speak to Genll Knox in behalf of mr Cranch. I thought I had best do it before I said any thing to mr A about the place as the arrangments which the Genll might make would prove more advantageous to him and require his attention upon the spot. I talkd with him and he engaged to send me a letter for him which is now inclosed to you.3 49he told me that at west point he would find a dwelling House work shop &c and two years employ if he would go there immediatly that he believed there was yet Buisness to be compleated at Springfield. there are many applicants so that Mr Cranch should not be dilatory as there may be now a good opening for him.4 he will not fail of writing directly to Genll Knox and giving him the information he requests The Miss Palmers may continue in the House untill mr Cranch can accommodate them better. I wish my dear sister that I could come to Braintree, but I do not see how it can be effected to any good purpose. pray can you tell me where I could get a Boy of a dozen years I would have him come round in Barnard if any one is to be had. Such a wretched crew as N york produces are scarcly to be found in any city in Europe. I am so much discouraged by every Body here that I dare not attempt to take one. I wish you would inquire of Ruthe Ludden whether she would be willing to come in Barnard & let me know. Mr Smiths Petter had a likely Boy that he askd me to take before I came here. if he is not put out, and he will Send him to me by captain Barnard I will take him—5 Let me hear from you soon Mrs Smith is going to House keeping in N york the 1 of May, the day when every Body Removes as they tell me here— I shall feel lost— the children amuse & divert me much but they will be here half there time. William is down on his knees searching the pictures in Milton, whilst I write. Gammar he says look here, the Man with a great sword going to cut them are Men all to pieces.— he is a lovely child with a temper as mild & sweet as one would wish. adieu my dear sister. I must quit to dress, as mrs washington Lady Temple mrs dalton mrs King & Several other Ladies drink Tea with me this afternoon

Yours most affectionatly

I designd to have written to you by the Monday Post, but I was so very ill on Sunday that I could not set up. I have had the severest attack of the Rhumatism attended with a voilent fever which I have experienced for several years. I have not yet left my chamber, tho I am much releived. the weather has been uncommonly wet and cold, Snow we have had in the course of this fortnight more than through the whole winter. our House has been a mere Hospital ever since Saturday last. I have been confined in one chamber, col smith in an other with a Billious attack Charls is in an other with a fever, my House keeper confind to her chamber with Saint Antonys fire,1 and a servant of col Smiths laid up with a voilent seazure of the Breast & Lungs, but thanks [to] a kind Providence we are all upon the Recovery. I was in hopes [to] have heard from you by last weeks post, & to have learnt how mrs Norten was, for whom I am much concernd. I am anxious for her, from more disinterested motives than Swifts Friend, tho perhaps I can more feelingly sympathize with her for, having “felt a pain just in the place where she complains”—2

my last letter to you was accompanied by one for mr J Cranch which I hope came safe to Hand. I wrote you something respecting Ruthe Ludden, but I wish now to be very particular. if her Time is out with her Aunt as I think it was in March, and she is inclined to come Barnard will return here sometime in May. her Passage by him will be six dollors which I shall pay. there is a mrs Laffen with whom mr Brisler is acquainted who went from here to Boston in Barnard and means to return again with him, so that she would not have to come alone. my terms to her will be three dollors a Months, and to give her the small pox. I wish to have an immediate answer because if she does not like to come, mr Brisler has a sister Betsy in Boston, who would be very glad to come and I shall write to her to 51come immediatly.3 I do not wish to send Polly home till I get somebody in her Room, but send her Home I must, or I shall never have a quiet family. this I must say of her, that I have never found her otherways than stricktly honest and I have not had the least difficulty with her on account of Drink. in short it is next to imposible here to get a servant from the highest to the lowest grade that does not drink male or Female I have at last found a footman who appears sober, but he was Born in Boston, has lived a very short time in the city & has very few acquaintance there. you would be surprizd if I was to tell you that tho I have been long trying to get a Boy here I cannot find one that any Body will Recommend, and I should be very glad to get one from Boston—I mean Peters son. my Housekeeper who on many accounts has been the most Respectable Female I have had in the Family, is so sick and infirm that she is obliged to leave me, partly I know because she will not live with Polly. if I could find any middle aged woman of a Reputable Character who understands Pastry &c in Boston I would send for her. I give 5. dollors a month to my Housekeeper, my kitchen and offices are all below stairs, and where there are a Number of Servants there must be one respectable Head amongst them to over see & take care that they do not run head long as well as to overlook the cooking & to make Tea for me upon my publick Evenings—to make my Pastry to assist in the Ironing &c this is the Buisness which falls to her share. Ruthe I want for a house maid. She will have no concern with cooking at all, as I keep a woman solely for that purpose. I wish you would be upon the inquiry for me. If I had not Brisler with me I should be tempted to give up publick Life. the chief of the Servants here who are good for any thing are Negroes who are slaves, the white ones are all Foreigners & chiefly vagabonds— I really know now more than ever how to Prize my English servants but I think when the cat is once gone I shall do much better do you remember the Fable of the Cat the Sow & the Eagle Scarcly a day passes that I do not think of it,4 yet I have a real value for Polly. She has a great many good qualities, and alone in a small Family would answer very well, but Authority she cannot bear to have the least, it is only by keeping her Humble that she is any way to be bourn with. in many things as mr Althorp observed, she seems as necessary to me as my daily food, and but for that temper, I would not part with her. with that I could deal, but the eternal mischief between others, keeps the whole House in disorder, and gives a bad Name to the 52whole Family— thus having detaild my whole Family grievences to you I bid you adieu with Love to all Friends / from your ever affectionate sister