Dedham, Oct 14, 1840.
Wed. morn.My dear Miss Lord,
At 9 o'clock yesterday morning, Mr. Hubbard said to me, he had thought of taking me to Dedham, & would soon let me know his decision. After consulting with his wife on a walk with her, they decided they would be ready to start with me about 11 o'clock. My time was so occupied in selecting such things from my trunk for my carpet bag, as I should need before I should go again to Boston, that my seeing Mrs. Trask & you before leaving was out of the question. If you called to see me after I left I hope you understood, that my leaving four hours sooner than I expected, made some difference in my arrangements for the morning; & that you would make all due allowance for my taking a French leave. - Mr. Hubbard's three boys, Samuel, Henry & William enjoyed almost to ecstacy [sic], seeing on the way a goat, harnessed, driven by one boy & drawing another - ducks, sqirrels [sic] &c; & while here the cat, the pig, the hens &c kept them in a state of delight.
If Mrs. Trask purchased some pocket handkerchiefs for me to distribute among the little folks here, I will thank her to
distributetake them with her when she comes. The Wrentham stage is not connected with the cars as formerly, but it comes all the way from Boston in the afternoon of Tuesday, Thurs & Sat. arriving here about sunset. It goes to Boston in the morning of the alternate days. The Dedham branch cars, that leave Boston, at 1/2 past 3 P.M. arrive at Dedham village some time before the Wrentham stage. - The Providence mail stage leaves Boston every morn. at eight o'clock as formerly.Mrs. Briggs desires much love to Mrs. Trask & yourself, & says, we shall be very happy to see you. In answer to my call to her at this moment, How long would you like to have the ladies stay? she says, "as long as they would like, from a week to a month." Come when you please without giving notice, but if you do not expect to be here before next Wednesday night, send me a line, or a paper with some words marked on it.
Much love to your sister Mary & to other friends
I have now come to the object, for which I decided to write. In addition to my large trunk & back case, I would like to have you send me my small pine trunk from the attic. It will be worth transportation to furnish a place for my papers, & my sewing & writing apparatus.
I have not yet consulted the Dr. & his wife, but if any place in the entry can be found for a stove, I shall want either the one, that was adapted to coal in our reading room, or the one for wood we used in No. 3. Both of these I left in Mr. Kimball's possession (By the way, will you ascertain whether he has sold either. If he has, I am glad. In case I wish to have either sent to me (if not sold) I will send a paper to your sister Mary, marked either stove for coal, or stove for wood, according as I may want one or the other.[)] - Mr. Kimball will box it, & take the care of sending, but it would be better to have all the things come together.
My bath had a fine effect. Yesterday I became too much fatigued to rest well last night & this morning I have a head ache. In haste, expecting the Dr. to call for my letter; I am yours, truly & affectionately
I have opened my letter to say that I want a parcel of catalogues you know where they were left in my attic
I have an old singing book, covered with leather, one I used when in my teens. I do not remember where it was left. If you happen to see it, please send it. I want my Pious Minstrel & Hymn Book from that old red case
[Lois Choate Lord (1810-1872) was the daughter of Nathaniel Lord (1780-1852) and Eunice Kimball (1778-1837) of Ipswich, Essex County, Massachusetts. She graduated from Ipswich Female Seminary in 1829. Abigail (Hooper) Trask (1788-1885) employed Lois in her store when Lois was a young girl, and they became life-long friends. Dr. John Kingsbury Briggs (1794-1843) was the son of Rev. Ephraim Briggs (1736-1799) and Rebecca Waterman (1738-1841). Dr. Briggs graduated from Boston University in 1820. In 1826, he was married to Hannah Chickering (1802-1876). They resided in South Dedham, Massachusetts.]