Lydia Colton to Andrew and Ruth Fletcher, 1846 January 9 [       ] January the 9 1846Dear brother and Sister

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having afew leisure monts Icherfuly devote them to yo to releive your anxiety Icame to worcester last nigt Iam to work to aplace where the woman is sick Ihave nine shillings aweek you must excuse my not writing before Ihave got aliter wrote and seald when Imade my mind to leave [well] the old lady where work was not willing to give me up Ihad to stay over aweek longer Ireceived you letter and was very sorry to hear that yo had been sick [Abagail] and are to your uncle Powel [Hammon] is sick he has been sick about three weks Ibelieve they call it the jaundice Iam agoing to commence to morrow my health is very good when Ilive in [Drocutt] the woman was sick and Ihad not anny time to write [Enos] is here has been sick and having fits but is beter he says he has felt beter for aweek than he has before since he heard of his Mothers death Mrs [Perking's] health is very poor give my love to mary and tell her to write you must kiss Craig twenty time for me you must be carful and not get sick again you must write when you receive this Ihave many things to rite but can not more for

[Enos] wants to cary me to the [place] wher Iam agoing to work and shall leave this for Maria to finish Ihave heard Andrew pray for absent brothers and now pray for absent Sisters

yours with loveLydia S Colton

Maria Fletcher to Andrew and Ruth Fletcher, 1846 January 10 Worcester Jan 10 1846Dear Brother and Sister

In compliance with your kind request I now sit down to write a few lines to you. I am also gratified with the privilege, although I cannot see you, I can speak through the silent language of a pen. You must excuse me for not writing sooner. I omited writing as I Lydia here I thought she would like to let you know how she got a long she went to Mr Swans last evening Enos went down after her this eve. a gentleman lady called her that recently lived in Johnson said they should like to see Lydia she said she like the appearance of the folks very well. They think Mrs Swan will not live but a short time. Abigail is here she will write as soon as she gets into employment to suit her. ther was fourteen Vermont people here this eve. I hear from home as often as once in two or three weeks I heard

from you once a fortnight while you was sick Janes health is very poor she is a lone. I left the 13 of Dec the next weeks she was here she had altered failed very much Enos health is poor he is crazy half of the time if we displease him in the least it will make him crazy. Hammon is sick he has been for four weeks.

I received your letter last week for which I was very the first I have received from you since I you left the reason why I have not written oftener was because you did not answer mine thought perhaps they did not meet with a welcome . I hope you will write soon. I can not write much more for it is most twelve and I am sleepy and I cannot write I would give more to see Craig than I ever would before Lydia said she would send Craig something if I did [Lura][   ] she said she did not. I will see to her Craig write what progress C has made in learning

You must write

write all the news

Maria R Fletcher

Mary you & [Luke] must write

Envelope

Mr Andrew C FletcherWaterville VtJan 12