A Letter Written on Aug 9, 1845

Hatfield, Aug. 1845.

Dear Ned

Seems to me the cars and such like don't go with wonderful speed out your way or our letter would have reached you before now. You need'nt try to scold. Your remark was very true about appreciation &c. None so deaf as those that won't hear &c. My poetry has never yet received the [...] necessary before being submitted to critical judge. You needn't suppose any such thing as my going to Commencement. I shall not get mother to go and drive me over as we did to S. Hadley, and as for any body else offering to go is an improbability not to say impossibility in H. I hope you will discover some fine beau and have ready against I come out to Avon. My school lasts yet, I will send you a song of triumph when it is over. Till then you shouldn't expect much from my worn and wearied brains. Now for the business though you do think me no judge of such matters.

O dear! I should think my ink was growing thru purpose not to weigh so much in this age when lightness is such a requisite. Well now about that place. My advice to you is not to buy it. First, because it doesn't exactly suit you and I never would buy anything because it was cheap and secondly I wouldn't buy a house and land unless it were such as I should expect to live in and on always. If I were going to buy a place it should be such a one as I should want to live on always, as a minister settles in a parish. You wouldn't advise a minister to settle unless he liked the place well enough to live there and die there. On the same principle I wouldn't advise you to buy until you find such a place. The interest of the money and what you would have to pay for reparing would be so much as it costs to hire so I should think it would be better to wait a while longer. However do what you think is best and pleasantest. I am willing to let you have some of my money if you conclude to buy.

S. Hadley anniversary was as usual. I forgot to mention. I expect my examination will be the crowning one of all. In eight weeks I go to S. Hadley. Pity me, envy me. Farewell then [...] halcyon days, and girlhood dreamings. Welcome silence and loneliness. I cannot stay to write more now. Peace be with you. Yours ever affectionately Melly --

Dear Edwin

Mary E advice just corresponds with my thoughts I think you would hardly know yet where you would like to locate yourself, the world is before you, if you should purchase that place it would involve you so much that you would not be able to buy again, even if you should find one exactly to your liking. I called last evening to see Mr Counts he thinks you had better [...] a spell longer and not buy because its cheap he says you cannot tell when a thing is cheap especially if you should wish to sell again if that place is so cheap there will be buyers enough, if it nothing only for speculation.

However you may do just as you please we will help you some if you wish. Edwin if have any more money than you want for your immediate use do not lend it ever to your best friend without good security, they say experience is the best schoolmaster I think we have had enough of that. Mrs. Ahley Graves says the Yorkers are real jockies. I like Mr. Mose very well he does up things as they should be, the wheat has come in good, the crops look pretty well but if we don't have rain soon they might suffer. I would write you more but Mary is going to school and she must take it with her the post office up to Mr Longleys house Mr. Morton has shut up his store and gone to Shelburn to trade as you see there is not but one store in the place now would be a good time to let my store if I had any one to see to it.

Yours in haste Polly Graves