[The date line didn't include a year, but the year was easily deciphered. The recipient was at the Seminary between 1841 and 1845, and April 29 was a Monday, which only happened in 1844 in that time period.]Gloucester Monday morning Apr. 29. 6. o clock
My dear Sister,
I received yours of the 25th on Saturday I hasten to forward a line by the mornings mail, hoping you willl receive it tomorrow. I presume my letter has reached you, but not feeling confident what I said respecting our stay here, I fear you may be in doubt as to what course to take. Our quarter closes with may, the Monday after yours commences. As we shall be here no longer, I have thought you might like to come directly & tarry with us the remainder of the present term, for if you do not, I do not know when we shall meet. You ask if I am not going to NH. this spring. I have thought of going after we lease this place, but anything farther I cannot say, where I shall be at the time of your next vacation, I cannot tell. Mr Jewett will go directly into Maine & pass the time previous to the meeting of the Conference, wh [sic] will be holden at Bath, commencing June 25. He is not decided what to do after that.
Will you not think about this? Though we cannot have the whole vacation, a very few days will be much better, than not to meet for months. And if you have only a part of the time before your vacation, I should think you might have the rem[a]ining days after, though we could not spend them together. I feel as though probably after knowing these circumstances, you might conclude to come. Come as soon as you can, but do not exert yourself too much so as to get sick by the effort. I wrote but little in my last expecting soon to see you, & now I write still less, hoping shortly you will be in Gloucester. It will be better for you to come here than for me to go to Worcester.
In regard to Scotts Bible, Mr J. says you can buy a new work, improved edition for eleven dollars. Probably you could not sell that for more than 5 dolls. perhaps not so much. I should think you might like to give it. I should were I in your place.
If you make a different arrangement & cannot come, write & let me know all about it. My health has been better for 3 months past than it has been since it failed 3 years ago last autumn, for the last week I have not felt very well but am brighter this morning & hope to feel as well again in a day or two.
I will not write now lest this fail if [sic] going. Good morning dear sister.
Hannah
My love to Miss Lyon.
We are some expecting to see you, instead of your seeing this. I wish you might rush here by todays stage
[handwriting change]
Sister Em,
We shall be very glad to see you, as soon as you can come, as you can not come in your vacation probably. I would meet you at Wenham depot if I only knew the day you c[an] come. If you should receive this tomorrow & be ready to leave in the cars the next day for Boston, on Thursday at noon you could reach us by stage, via Ipswich.
If you could manage matters with Miss Lyon so as to return on Saturday the day but one after the close of the term it would be still better for us. Perhaps you can. I only now bid you Good Morning hoping if the Lord wills shortly to see & to convene [?] face to face
Affly & truly yours
Henry C JewettThe stage comes every day from Ipswich now & probably will for the present at least; it [is] on Monday, Thursday & Saturday leaves about noon - on other days [...] paper [...]