[Some paragraph breaks added for ease of reading.]Salisbury Augst 6th 1849
Very Dear Friend
Now I say to you that we were very much gratified on receiving your kind & interesting letter bearing date July the 26th the day which reminded me that forty seven years of my frail life have passed & that I had probably passed so much beyond its meridian. We all feel our interest in you increased by the communication you last sent us & anticipate with much pleasure the fulfilment of the promise to visit us you therein gave[.] Could your friend have accompanied you it would have added much doubtless to the pleasure you would have realized in coming to Salisbury[.] It however seemed best that she should return directly to her friend[.]
In answering your inquiries as to the best route from S. Hadley to that place I made some inquiries of Mr Landon who had a Daughter for some years at the Seminary & who went up to attend the anniversary - he told me that the most direct way would be to come from S. Hadley to Springfield from thence to State Line at West Stockbridge & then down the Housatonuc [sic] Rail Road to Falls Village unless you could know definitely the day when you could be at North Canaan in which case I would with pleasure bring you over[.]
You will be under the necessity of stopping over night at State Line I do not know from your writing but you apprehended a necessity for being detained over night at Falls Village - such will not be the case as the mail carrier is prepared to bring passengers over on reaching the Village & should you desire it would probably bring you over immediately after the Morning train reached which is about 10 O.Clock or should you prefer it upon the train from Bridgeport reaching then which is about 2 O.Clock P.M. Alma says give my love to Miss Williams & regrets that Miss Luce could not have accompanied you on a recent tour[.]
Respectfully your friend
M. Hutchinson