PHILADELPHIA COLLEGE
SPECIAL COLLECTIONS¹

WRITTEN BY VARNUM ABBOTT²
TO MARGARET AND CEPHAS CLARK³ 

Mother I will send a few lines
to you my health is first rate. I
hope that these few lines will find
you and Farther and Dolly⁵ the same
I should like to visit you with, Jonas⁶
but I will, put it of till a more
convenient time as my health is good
I can labor with comfort I shall
come up and see you another Spring
if we are alive time rools on son
we shall come to our end
that present I suppose you will expect
I feel rather stingy and you may expect
It will be small I send you a
Dress I do not know whether it will
suit you or not I aint much of a hand
to buy calico

Dolly I was glad to receive a line
from you you must write and send
when Jonas comes back give my respects
to Emma Abbott hope that she enjoys
life write where she stays that sumer

  ^{1This letter is part of the Abbott Brothers Collection at Philadelphia 
     College in Pennsylvania.  Transcribed by the University of Massachusetts 
      Lowell, Center for Lowell History.
  2Varnum Abbott b: 1834, VT; parents: Margaret H. King and Jonas Varnum 
     Abbott; stepfather: Cephas Clark; employed 1852-1854: Lowell, Massachusetts.
  3Parents – Margaret and Cephas Clark, Glover, VT.
  4Lowell, Massachusetts.
  5Sister – Dorothy “Dolly” M. Abbott b: 1841, Glover, VT; parents: Margaret H. 
    King and Jonas Varnum Abbott; stepfather: Cephas Clark.
  6Brother – Jonas Abbott b: 1848, Glover, VT; parents: Margaret H. King and 
    Jonas Varnum Abbott; stepfather: Cephas Clark; employed 1852-1854: Lowell, MA.}
 
 
 
I have lots to say not time to write
If you have a husking this year
give me an invite I should like
to come and get some rackoon or fresh
lamb either, and some good new butter

I will close by sending my love to
you all

I remain the same person
Yours respectfuly

             Cephas Clark
             Margaret Clark
             Dolly

             Varnum Abbott
             Varnum Abbott