East Hartford, Sept. 14. 1838.My dear Miss Luce,
I confess your letter of last month deserved an answer before this but my time has been pretty much occupied since I received yours. I must confess I had given up the idea of ever hearing from you but it seems you have not quite forgotten me. I suppose your thoughts & attentions are more centered than formerly at least I conclude so from your letter but you know what I told you once in Ipswich when you had company I expected you wld be joined in 'Hymenial bands' long ere this -
I suppose you will be in a little quandry from the date of this to know what I am a doing in E. Hartford but I can tell you altogether contrary to my expectations I have been here in a school since last June the school, numbers between 80 & 90 they have two male principals & one native French Teacher our last term commenced week before last your letter happened to come while I were at home in vacation - Our school is composed of both males & females for the greater proportion males I enjoy myself exceedingly well I never have enjoyed myself half as well in a school as I do now but I intend to graduate in the teachers department when I leave E. Hartford not to make a change for life but to go home & stay there when I am a mind too & when I am a mind to visit to visit
During my vacation I went to New Haven to attend commencement had a delightful time I can assure you spent one day & a half in the cabinet of minerals & shells was perfectly delighted some of the rarest specimens that can be seen are found there - I must tell you I have quite a little cabinet of curiosities at home in W.S. about enough to occupy a good part of my time I think it would pay you for the expense of coming on to see them I guess "you would say you never saw any-thing so wonderful in all the born days of your life" I wish you would come & I would go to Boston with you & we would visit Miss Yale &c &c would not such an excursion be grand I am sure I should enjoy it but if you happen to take it "into your head" to get tied for life but even should that take place you may please bring hi along with you we should be as glad to welcome him as his "better half" -
As for Ipswich I dont hear from there no more than if it had sunk I should like to go & see the old place once more but I dont know of a soul in the whole town that would give me a straw to see me I sometimes hear from my friend S. Palmer she is now in Norton associated in a Female Seminary of which Miss Caldwell is principal I had a letter from her the other day she said they had a flourishing school of 70 or 80 & that Miss Lyon had been spending the most of the Summer with them she wrote that it was a very pleasant situation -
Miss Lyon's Sem. in South Hadley is going on well the building is going on rapidly Miss Hawks a very distinguished teacher is going in to the school as Associate principal she is a very accomplished Lady it will add not a little to the popularity of the school she taught the Female Seminary in Springfield & was exceedingly popular she left there & went to Philadelphia -
You recollect Harriett Fairchild in Ipswich a teacher I believe when you was there she was married week before last to a lawyer from Detroit & she has gone there to reside -
I saw Miss Jordan in New Haven at commencement she told me she left Ipswich last Spring & was spending the summer in N.H. attending to French & Painting she had not altered an atom I also saw Elisabeth & Hetty Bull -
If you send me any shells you may have them directed as they were efore but I do think it will be too much for you to think of sending any [...] you should send any before the middle of Nov you might have them left at Capt. Churchills dont he reside in Hartford? I could get them very easily for E. Hartford is but one mile from the city & I am there very often & if you will write me at E.H. I can go & get them but if you should have any to send after that you can send them to W. Springfield Agawam & they will be landed safely but I beg you will write me as soon as you send them for I shall want to be on the look out for them -
Do write me as soon at E.H. wont you will you excuse this awful writing I dont know what ails me now a days for I dont write fit for any thing
Yours with much love H. M. Smith Lester