Respected parents I having a leisure
Time will pen a few lines to you hoping
all Good  my health is first rates
this fall and I hope that yours is
and Dolly’s⁵  is to and all the people’s
Jonas⁶ has gone to bed he rote this fore
non I don’t know what he rote so I
may write the same that does
Nancy is to work in the mill I guess that
she don’t like as well as she thought she should
I ment to rote before the time hass passed
I was glad of those greetings you sent to
me and that Cake went first rate it
was the best that we eat this six months
I should like to call on you this evning
insteade of watching but as I cant you
must write I would like to have you all
write Farther Mother & Sister & how
you all get a long etc.  I have a lot to
write but not of much value I close
By send my love to you all.

            From  Varnum Abbott

  ^{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, Massachusetts.}
 
 
 
Write Soon
Directions
           To  Cephas Clark 

I know I share thy smiles with many
That autumn time is come that sheds
Upon the naked scenes charms only
Known in this northern clime Bright Seasens
           Far between

[these five lines were written in a circle]

When I get this page all rote over I shall stop dont
get out of patience youl find the end fore soon if you 
can read this I am shure that you cant read comon writing
do you know where and why it is the girls talk of getting 
married ive got to a period.

           I have only time to add that
           I am in great haste

[written along the right hand side]

we had a frost here
last night to night
it is cold & rainy