East. Bloomfield. July. 28th 1857.Dear cousin Deborah.
I have spelled your name the old way it comes so natural. Your truly kind letter came at hand tonight by [...] who took it out of the office two or three days ago but neglected to hand it to me. Though truly sorry to hear of the illness in your Sem! yet I can assure you that when health is restored to such a school it is a matter of great rejoicing to all who may hear of it.
Why do you speak so doubtingly of my interest in you concerning your future when you was my companion for almost a year and knew of your wishire [?] concerning teaching school when you had been at Mt. Holyoke Sem. for preparation. Can you not trust your Heavenly Father for all thing[s] concerning the future and feel to trust Him to direct you in all your journeying through life, or has your studies had the usual tendency of making us feel self sufficient and not walk by Faith and trust in our God. Why should we be so distrustful of our Heavenly Father when He is always willing to hear our prayers for help in time of need. I have been papering the East room today and my hand trembles so that I fear that you can not read a word that I have wrote but Martha has a letter waiting to go to you and I thought that I would pen a few lines in also, should it reach you please accept it as a token of my friendship for you and your family. I have not heard from Margaret this long time when you go home ask her to write me a letter with you, who so [?] wonder where is she that I hear nothing from her. Give the regards of the family to all of your family and to your Uncle Logan and write soon that you may [...] of your future welfare and when I am not so tired will endeavo[r] to write more deffinitely [sic] concering [sic] the subject which I wrote you about in my last. From your friend
and cousin
Eliza SteeleMiss Dora M. Hasson,
Mt Holyoke. Sem.