Willow Home Dec 26th /63My dear Child:
Your letter arrived this morning, and relieved my anxiety very much, I began to feel worried about you fearing you was sick, as I thought we should certainly get a letter from you yesterday, if you were not, I am sorry you were obliged to be in school Christmas day, but more so that you should feel so unhappy about it, I am sure it could do no good, and if you overcome your feelings once, you would find it much easier to another time when things go wrong. You must not expect to have everything go just to please you, even from day to day, and how much better it is to try and bear patiently what we cannot help, than to let it trouble and worry us, making us unhappy and all around us, think of these things Mary.
We had a beautiful day for Christmas yesterday, It is splendid sleighing here now, it could not be better, but the sidewalks have been very slippery for a week past. It has been a lovely day to day for winter, It is growing warmer and I think we may have some more snow, ere many days have passed.
Mr Johnson is in town now, thinks of returning Monday, He looks quite thin yet and is far from being well. Tis only about three weeks since he tells me, that he has been able to rise from a common chair without assistance. He is really quite feeble now. I think some of going to N- Monday with him.
Your Father is so busy just now he thinks he cannot leave and wishes me to go, I think I shall if it is not too cold. If I go, do not think I shall stop but a short time, but think the ride will do me good. - It seemed rather a lonely Christmas. We missed your stocking, but I fear it would not have been filled if it had been here Anna did not get much this time, Charlie had a Book and ring and candy. - The Unitarian Society met at the towne hall Christmas eve and had an entertainment for the children, Mrs Sprague invited Charlie and Anna B- invited Anna they both went and had a very good time, The Methodist had an entertainment the same evening. The Universalists are to have theirs at New Year.
Anna is very tired indeed so she will not be able to write to-night, she has been away skating I am sorry as I hoped she would write every
timeweek, -Augustine was in Boston this week and heard the large Organ played, says it was perfectly splendid, A sacred concert is to be given at Music Hall Sunday eve he said, The Organ is to be played and an Orchestra of fifty and four hundred select voices, will it not be grand music.
A week from to-morrow twenty one are to be admitted to our Church Four by profession and seventeen by letter, Edwin Harris is one that unites with the Church, -
Mr Emersons family have gone to Lancaster to board for the present until they can get a house, There has been three funerals here to-day, no one that I think you know, Diphtheria prevails here some, - A sad accident happened at Leominster this week An Engine on a freight train on the Fitchburg road burst its boiler and two men were killed, an[d] another hurt so bad they think he cannot live, They were all Fitchburg men. -
It has been a lovely day today, I have not been out, as I have been quite busy, sewing as usual, I am not feeling well at all this eve and it is with an effort that I am writing to you, I was up last eve very late, which makes me feel worse, I think if I get away from home a few days I may feel better, I hope you will get this Tuesday eve and that you will write us a long letter. Charlie sends a happy new New Year to you so as to be in season
All send love, from you loving,
Mother