[The first half of the letter was written by their mother Susan March Brown, and the second half by their father Newman Brown. The letter is not fully dated, but since both sisters are at the Seminary, it must be 1849-1852. A check of the weather records shows that 1852 is the closest match for the unusually wet month of May that their father describes.]
Newburyport May 30
I suppose you think it is time you had a line from me & I think so too or I don't know as I should be writing now for I feel as though I wanted to be doing something else very much I have had a great deal to do since you went away have been cleaning house some but have not got through yet expect Miss Braydon to help me again tomorrow so I thought I must write a few words to night or you would not get any thing from me this week[.] Have had our thursday [sic] meeting here to day & the people have just gone away our prayer meetings all of them are pretty well attended and some of them very interesting[.]
I had written so far when Lydia Safford came in and I made a cup of tea & we have taken it together & she has gone home now I have set myself down to write again Lydia has just told me that Rebecca & Hannah Beck were profounded to
yourthe church next Sabbath she also told me two of Mr Whitingtons children were a going to unite withe [sic] his Church Nathan & Lucy the second daughter I have been interrupted again Mary Jane Hills has been in now it grows so dark I must bid you good night[.][Change of handwriting]
Dear daughters your box has not gone yet. I have bought one to send you and there is a good opportunity to send next week I shall send it, we expect Deacon Bemis and wife to visit us next week, Magg has gone to N.Y. went Wednesday by the Norwich rout[e], I did not see her after you wrote, before she returns you had better write her in N.Y. care of Charles Martin Esq. and tell her to come by the way of Springfield and South Hadley, the Doctor will be with her I presume - there has been a number of cases of small pox here and the Doctor has a number of patients none sick with it, Mr. Lyditon died with it, about ten days after the death of his daughter, Mr. Campbell is quite poorly with a cold did not preach this Sabbath and probably will not next. We have had cold wet weather almost the whole of this month north and easterly winds all the time it is dull to day though not rainy. I shall insist on mother's going to see you some time in the month of June, and I shall go too if it is possible for me to leave my business. I find mother rather inclined to hold back unless I will go with her so I shall go if I possibly can; but the probability is I shall have two or three cargoes of coal to attend too soon and if I can get them out of the way in time to go I shall - I suppose I must now close so Good buy [sic]
Your Father
Newman Brown