South Hadley, Aug. 10, 1838Dear Miss Stebbins,
I am sorry my going to Conn. must frustrate your plans, but I think it can be arranged as not to make much difference. I expect to go to Conn. on Monday, the 27 of this month. It seems best to stay here Friday and Saturday after examination. I shall like to go to your house again if you think best to afford the expense from Hartford. I suppose it would be useless for me to say any thing about defraying it myself. If I were a little differently situated I could take my own way saying nothing about it. I cannot say now what day I could meet Mr. Chapin at Hartford if you should conclude to send by him for me. I do not know what day I can go from Simsbury to Hartford. I expect to hear from my friends and may be able to decide when Mr. C. is here. I must decide then what day to be at Hartford whether L. meets me at H. or I go to Wilbraham. It will save you some anxiety, afford me much pleasure and I think it may be best for me to go to W. What would be the expense by stage from Hartford if Mr. C. does not go for me. I wish to decide, as I said before without refference [sic] to me. I do not see anything "unreasonable" in my going for L. Should I do this if I can send my box by Mr. C. to your house, and take only my trunk to Conn. I shall like it. Mary C. thinks I can. I shall not stay more than a week in Conn. Should like to start for Ithaca the 4 or 5 of Sept, that I might get to Dr Bliss. if not home before the Sabbath I think Laura may find a cloak and small shawl as convenient as a large shawl. When it is cold enough to wear a large shawl a cloak will always be suitable and in stormy weather it is better, besides she may sometimes like a small shawl, when a large one would be to [sic] warm. I think she could carry a bonnet very well, not have it put to gether, [sic] and it can be packed with other things, if I go there I shall like to put it up for her.
Should you on the whole conclude it best to have Laura meet me at H. you can send by Mr. C. when he comes for Mary, and we can decide when, and at what place to meet at H.
I wish I could be more definite, but see not how I can. I so much feared not being explicit, that I have written one thing over and over, and used an abundance of little words. I am hardly myself. I have so much to think of, I could not study many weeks more as I have for a few past. It is dark and can say no more. Is my rule not to have a light evenings.
Yours with respect and affection
A. Matson.
P.S. I believe it is 20 miles from Simsbury to Hartford.