[Some paragraph marks added for ease of reading]Pawtucket, Monday eve, June 1st 1846.
My Dear Aunt Carpenter & Sister Nancy,
Your very truly acceptable letter was rec'd last eve and I have taken the first leisure moment to answer it and must write in great haste for Mr. Lyon to take it to the office this eve - which is a mile from here -
I do not wonder you have felt anxious about Grandmother, It is strange that we should both leave - I have felt sorry that we did - but she urged us to do so for reasons which I will give when I see you, I know it is lonely for them and I think about them almost constantly when out of school and sometimes in. I know they have kind friends and neighbors - John & Peter & Cousin D's children are all as kind to Grandmother as they could be to an own grandparent. Little Daniel comes over every morning to bring her milk and see if she wishes for any thing - there is only Grandmother and Aunt Ruth in the family now -
We have had a large family of Carpenters and Masons finishing off the New house for Mr. L. Walker to live in, it is all done but painting, they will move in as soon as it is ready - it is a very pretty tenement. Aunt Ruth is about the same as last fall, has not been out any - Grandmother is not as well as usual, has a severe cold - - I think she has enjoyed better health and spirits for a few months past than for nearly 3 years but she looked so feeble when I got home last Friday night it made me feel sick, I did not feel willing to come back, but she was better yesterday and this morning - she thinks and talks a great deal about your coming home and so does Aunt Ruth, and they say it is so long since they heard from Abram they hardly know where he is, the wish is often expressed that he was here, you don't know how much we miss him.
Caroline said we must tell Abram to come to Seekonk to meeting the first Sabbath for she should be home only Sabbaths. but I hope she will [be] at home some Saturdays; she was at home a few moments yesterday noon; she boards with Sylvanus, has 21 scholars - her health is not as good as it was last fall, I feel a good deal of anxiety about her - she was very anxious to teach, commenced last Monday, she says Sylvanus talks to her every morning to be careful of health, not to wet her feet, &c.
I have a very pleasant and excellent boarding place at Elbridge Lyons, his wife is a fine woman - but the less said about my school the better; I have 54 scholars, only 11 of them are Americans, they are from 2 to 16 years old. I have been very sorry I took the school but 2 weeks are past and the other 10 soon will be. I wrote to Josiah & Maria since school to night and sent your messages, they spoke of each of you a number of times when at home, Josiah was only here from Saturday eve to Monday morn; Lucy is a very good babe and a prodigy with all of us; she is not as pretty as the twins were: they commenced housekeeping, about 3 weeks since in Natick -
Mr. Brown is quite sick, unable to leave the house, has a hard cough, look very bad, he had been very well for 3 months until 3 weeks since - I wish Abram would send him a paper as soon as he receives this, it would please and interest him, he reads a great deal. he and Cousin Sarah are as much interested to provide a way for me to go and come from my school as they would be for an own child; the first Friday I was here Cousin Sarah & Mrs. Ellis both came for me.
Cousin Daniels family are well excepting colds - they and our other friends often enquire after each of you. I was surprised to hear Uncle was so feeble - do hope he will be able to come soon, we have often counted the days to your coming - the enquiry is often made, when is your Uncle coming? I have often wished my dear Sister I could be with you at this time and visit the places we once visited but it would be with very different feelings from what we then had - I have often been with you in mind. I have not seen any of your family since I commenced school they were very well the last I heard -
Mrs. Arthur Aldrich has a daughter 10 days old. Mrs. Nathaniel Cole died 2 weeks since, she was confined - Mr. Fitts died about 2 weeks since - Cousin Abby has been spending a few days with Mrs. Fitts.
I must close love to Uncle and each one,
Yours in the bonds of a sisters love,
Maria -