South Hadley. Feb. 13. 1856.Dear Anna,
I received your letter some weeks since and need I tell you I was pleased to hear from you.
I do most sincerely hope you are having a pleasant time [in] this cold wintery weather. I was very glad when I heard that you visited New York last September. The weather is so cold this winter that you can hardly be sorry that you are not teaching. I wish you much success in your efforts to obtain a situation as teacher, though I cannot but feel that that [sic] it is better for you not to be teaching [in] this cold weather.
There has been sleighing here for several weeks, and I have taken one sleighride. I rode over to Amherst one afternoon, the day was very fine and the sleighing good and I enjoyed it very much.
I can assure you that a cup of coffee and a sponge cake would taste good I have not had any such luxuries since I left home last October.
I did not go home to spend the winter vacation. I remained here. I enjoyed it very well, but I am anticipating considerable pleasure for the spring vacation, then I expect to go home. I never was away from home so long before and it seems an age.
Uncle Robert Douglass went south last October. His health was comfortable.
When I wrote to you before, I did not tell you what my domestic work was for fear you would laugh at me. Since then it has changed and I will tell you what I do now. I cut bread the hour before supper. It is cut with a machine and is not very hard work.
Have you forgot that walk we took through the woods for blackberries. I have not nor that walk we took up on to that high hill, and that delightful view we had to pay us for our labor. If we could get as well paid for every exertion we should not mind exerting ourselves.
The week before Christmas we were favored with a delightful scene by Nature. The trees and shrubs were encased in ice and remained so for two or three days. They shone in the sun like diamonds. I never saw any thing so fine. Write me soon as convenient.
With many wishes for your happiness, Fanny Gorton