Honored Farther & Mother & Sister⁵
I set down to let you know that I 
got home safe & sound I found
Jonas well & Nancy finaly all the folks
One of the mills burnt sown while
I was gone About $ 80,000 dollars was distroyed
they are A going to bild another in
the same place the mill got a fire
while they was gone to breakfast do not
know how it got A fire
I feel so that I had got home
once more the girls shine like silver
batons. Some of them think or ask me
how I found woman up to Glover⁶
& up there they want to know how my
woman is down here, I tell them that
I have got the mitten up to Glover
now some of them will get Courted
come on galhs gahals

June 23th 1853

  ^{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: 1840, VT, parents: Margaret H. King 
     and Jonas Varnum Abbott; stepfather: Cephas Clark.
  6Glover, Vermont.}
 
 
  
I cant hardley get time to write 
every thing goes on well with me though
I got the mitten when I was up I 
have almost got over it there is so
many pretty gllas smiling & waiting for A
            beau

[Written Sideways on the letter]

tell the galls to go it while they are young
My love to all that aint Courted
I enjoy my self first rate --- & hope you do
Jonas⁷ is well & gone to work to the big shop
tell Clark to call this way if he can
If you don’t get this letter some time fore soon
            write fore soon
I haint had to work more than half the 
Time since I come back Don’t make fun
            of my writing

June 24th 1854

we are bound to celebrate the 4th
            Varnum Abbott

  ^{7Brother – Jonas Abbott b: 1836, VT; parents: Margaret H. King 
     and Jonas Varnum Abbott; stepfather: Cephas Clark; employed 
     1852-1854: Lowell, Massachusetts.}