Dear Farther & Mother I take my pen 
to let you know that we are well
& enjoying our selves first rate & I hope
these few lines will find you the same
it is pleasant here today it may be
up there to as we draw A picture of each
place before our eyes we se. A vast diference
one surounded with trees. The other with
steples & liberty poles, one made merry with
the sweet songs of the robin the other with
church bells & sweet songs of the other sex
Time rools swiftly by youth quick passes
I was a thinking the other day that I
should begin to sow my wild oats this spring
so I am determind to puter through while
I am young & enjoy life for when I am old 
I can’t I will give you a hint about Jonases
You, may guess the rest Mary Jane W
I have got ten thousands things to write but
don’t know which to write first the church bells
are ringing & I will finish
after church don’t forget to rite
if you don’t get this write before
you stop to read this so I may

  ^{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.}
 
  
  
Where are we the hapiest in the citty
or at the foot of the rocky abiss
where the hawk builds his nest & the fox
digs his hole in the day the hawk soars
high oer head at night the fox slighly
robs your hen rost till the racoon eats
the corn. Whilst all this is a going on something
disturbs your slumbers you get up & go to the
door all is still except a Faires dog is a
barking, so back to your couch you retire

Don’t forget to rite if you don’t get this
George & Martha are well & like very well.
Jonas⁵ likes over on the carpet⁶ I believe
I shall come home before I get maried
There is a lot of pretty down east girls here
Give me the green mountain girl that gathers
may flowers & sings like an Italian

I cant settle my mind on any thing to write

O tell Dolly that I haint forgten her
would write more if I thought
you could read this
           Varnum Abbott
Cephas Clark Margaret & Dolly⁷
           Varnum Abbott

  ^{5Brother – Jonas Abbott b: 1836, Glover, VT; parents: Margaret H. 
     King and Jonas Varnum Abbott; stepfather: Cephas Clark; employed 
     1852-1854: Lowell, Massachusetts.
  6Lowell Carpet Manufacturing Company.
  7Sister – Dorothy “Dolly” M. Abbott b: 1841, Glover, VT; ; parents: 
    Margaret H. King and Jonas Varnum Abbott; stepfather: Cephas Clark.}
 
 
 
 

I forgot to write some things

I have got the letters sealed up
& cant rite any more

I send my best wishes & respects
to you all

hapy is the man who has chosen
Wisdoms ways
 I would rite more but I cant
 get it through the post ofice

            V Abbott

I guess that I shall go to writers school
if you think I had better

Butter  17 & 20