Addressed to:

   Miss Louisa M. Boynton
               Mc Lean
               Tompkins Co.

This envelope contained also another letter, dated July 27th 1857.

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                                       Binghamton July 26th 57 [?]
                                                   Sabbath Morning

   My dear Sister,
                  I have rocked Eddy to sleep and Edward has gone to
Church, so I have sit [sic] down by my little table to write you a few
things that we have done, and of our welfare since you left us.
   We were very glad to hear from you and that you got safely home and
found all the friends well.  I presume you are enjoying yourselves
finely and are glad to be home again.  We miss you both very much and
any time shall be glad to have you back again.  I have done but little
beside my housework for Eddy is so lonely that I have to hold him a
great deal when there is no one here.  Mrs Gardner has been to
Syracuse the past week and we have been more lonely than ever; they
came back last night and are all well and send love to you both.  The
next day after you went home Henry came over here and says, "Eddys ma
when _have them_ __gales__ gone"? have they gone _way_ _way_ on the
big cars', and he often asks why they dont come home.  [These
sentences seem physically to be written clearly despite their
confusing meaning and punctuation. -twp]
   That day you left I came home and got breakfast and done up my work
and swept the house all over and put things to rights and in the
afternoon sewed on Eddys little dress.  The next day I went down to
Henrys and Saturday I had lots of house work to do and finished babys
dress and done some other little fixing.  Sunday it was very warm and
we did not either of us go to church until evening and then Edward
went.  Monday I made a cape for Henry and Tuesday I had a washer worn
[?] and in the afternoon I made Eddys little hat and it is quite a
cunning little thing and looks very pretty on him.  Wednesday I ironed
and picked my Gooseberries and Eld Leach staid [sic] here all night;
he inquired after father and thought perhaps he might see him in the
course of the summer.  The next day I had company to dinner and Friday
made my Goosberries [sic].  I had eight pounds and made four pounds of
cherries.  Those on the tree back of the house are getting ripe and it
hangs very full of black ones.  Friday afternoon I went down with Eddy
to have his face taken and we have got the best likeness I ever saw
taken of a baby and the artist said the best one he ever took every
feature is perfect and there is not a studied look about but every
baby feature is there; he did not make up one of those faces but got
his mouth just ready too [?].  The gentleman wants to take another for
a specimen and I guess we shall take him down again.  We stopped to
Gilberts when we came back and staid [sic] until after tea and
yesterday I was buisy [sic] all day about my house.
   The flowers are growing finely and our garden looks very nice.
What did you go off for and forget those wintergreens?  I felt so bad
I could hardly eat any of them but finely [sic] I took some over to
Mrs Gardner and I knew they would do you no good if I kept them but
[?] I was very sorry knowing how much ma thought of them and you had
taken so much pains [sic] to get them for her.
   Caroline has got home and she and H. are coming up here Wednesday
to spend the day.  Sarah was very smart and had a fine and good baby.
Jane is miserable and her baby cries a great deal; she has lots of
trouble.  "Bell is as faithful as she can be.  She thinks she will go
to school next term if her mother is well enough so it will be very
nice if one of you can come down, the term commences the middle of
August.  [There is clearly an opening quotation mark in this
paragraph with no closing mate.  Presumably the missing quote closes
the sentence. -twp]
   How sad Mr Minneys death seems and how lonely it must seem without
him but they can all feel that he was prepared and that the Lord had
been preparing him to have his home here, for a better one, "a house
not made with hands" but a home in Heaven.
   Our Church is not finished yet but will be they think by an other
[sic] sabbath.  I have directed this to Louisa because she wrote to me
but next time I am in hopes to direct one to Libby, you will not
forget your promise I hope.  I will own I have been rather negligent
but I could not get time.  I wish father and ma would come down here
again we want to see them more than ever.  Why cant they.
   Eddy wants to see them very much and show them how he can climb up
by chares [sic] and how fat he has grown.  Tell Grandpa he has got on
his dress to day like the neck handkerchief and he likes it very much.
I have been feeding him pie and given him milk to drink and now he is
sleeping [?] sweetly.
   Give much love to all the friends and all of you write again soon.
Tell ma I will put in a receipe [sic] for making jelly and it is much
better than the old way I am going to make mine that way.  Goodbye,
   'Tain

[The last paragraph and signature was written on the margin of the
inner page, which began with the word "Goosberries."  The next-to-
last paragraph was written in the margin of the final page.]