[Some paragraph breaks added for ease of reading.]Holyoke Feb. 16. 1864
My dear Rosa,
Here you become impatient for an answer to your good and most welcome letter? I fear you have. I intended writing sooner but could not consistently, I will not stop to tell you all the reasons why - but thank you for your letter. It gave me the first definite knowledge of you. I had merely learned that you were at W. and had been sick, thanks to a kind providence that has restored you to health and permitted you to resume you[r] active duties. I was sad to hear you speak of those days
ofwhen loneliness of heart, and the stranger's feelings were yours, and then those days of suffering, but the bright day soon dawned, you found kind friends, and rec'd offices of love. Is it not sweet in all our comforts as well as trials, to recognize the care of our ever watchful Heavenly Father? I trust you are now happy in your adopted home. Miss Lyon you know often speaks of full employment as an element of happiness. I think you cannot fail to have this element, and I hope you have many others. Rosa you must do all you can, especially all the good you can, but you must be carefulandand spare yourself some. Perhaps you have not so many sisters to watch over you in this respect as you had at Holyoke - then a greater responsibility rests on yourself -I spent my vacation in N. York city with my dear friend Mrs. Peabody. She is spending the winter at the Bathers. Helen went with me. We had a pleasant trip to the city, were most cordially received by Antoinette and her parents and sisters. It was a delightful family and we enjoyed the time spent there highly we were very busy seeing the wonders of the place visiting &c. The last day we were there A. made a little party of Holyok[e] friends and some others. There were nine Holyoke graduates present viz Mrs. Eaton M. Foote M. Knowlton A. Church L. Rankin, M. Munson and ourselves. I need not say how pleasantly passed the evening. On our homeward-way Helen stopped at Stamford to visit J. Tolman and I stopped at West Haven to visit my friend Mrs. Wright and Louise. She (L.) is well and happy. She has a pleasant school. She says she only fears her situation is too agreeable to last. She has since written me of a decided religious interest in her school, a number of hopeful conversions - L. was filled with joy and gratitude.
There has been a good deal of interest with us, for may weeks tho' not as marker as in some former years - some more than twenty we hope have passed from death to life, others seem to be seeking the way of life and we trust will soon be gathered in - We now here on weekly religious meeting on Tuesday, instead of Thursday evening[.] At this meeting Miss Scott has half of those without hope and I have the others - this week Mrs. Harris of Conway was with us and gave us a most interesting sermon -
Time is passing very pleasantly with me at Holyoke this year. I enjoy being here all the more for having been absent last year. You know I soon in No. 80 with Becca a thousand pleasant associations cluster about this room, not a day passes but I am pleasantly reminded of our dear Mrs. Burgess. And you know my love for Rebecca would make it a joy to room with her. We have many little plans of improvement reading together and the like - I have a section of the Middle class the first half of the alphabet old scholars. Miss Johnson has the others of the old scholars and Miss Hazen the new scholars of the Mid. Class. I now have three classes in Chemistry - one in Evidences and one in Rhetoric. I have the Stationary closet, and the Library besides various other little duties - We have a very pleasant company of young ladies this year and everything is moving on very smoothly, even tho' Miss Whitman is absent. We miss her very much, and shall all rejoice with great joy when she returns. The last reports from her say her health is improving.
Miss Lyon is very well this year. She is as energetic and untiring in her labors of love as ever. The other teachers are all well[.] Miss Wellman the Latin teacher is much liked. Miss Munson is here this term teaching French. Miss Lyon has decided to have our spring examinations at the commencement of the summer term, and private! that term will be twelve weeks. Our missionary meetings this year are full of interest. We have more than enough letters and journals from our friends abroad to occupy the time. At the last meeting a journal from Mrs. Tayler was read at its close she had just reached the Islands[.]
Mr Lowrie is still liked as much as ever. Mrs. Condit and Helen are very well. Our brother Samuel has been teaching in town till recently he closed his school and went home. We came to town last week on business and was taken suddenly ill and was unable to leave. So here he is sick at the Seminary!! He is in No. 80 We have moved the bed from the bedroom R. and I have No. 81 R. takes the care of him he is better we hope he will not be sick long.
R. and I rec'd letters from our sister in China a few weeks since. She was well, probably you heard by the same arrival - I asked Miss Lyon to inclose a note to you. She said she would if she could find time - and bid me give you much love[.] N. Johnson sends love, all your friends would do the same did they know I was writing -
May every blessing be yours my dear Rosa, and may you be a great blessing to those with whom you are associated. My love to those of your teacher band, whom I knew, particularly Miss Hawks. Her parents are well -
I shall ever be happy to hear from you sister Rosa but you must know I am a miserable correspondent in more senses than one.
The tardy bell has run and I must away so good night
In love your sister
Lucy.