Lowell³ April 3, 1849

Dear Brother,

      I do not know but you will blame me for not answering youre kind letter sooner but I 
think you will excuse me when I tell you the reason which is this  I have been very sick with the 
vere Loyd⁴ I do not know as you will know what that is so I will tell you  it is the same as the 
small pox only it does not go quite so hard on account of being evaxionated⁵ I was at the 
Hospital one week and I was sick enough I can tell you  my face was swolen so that if you had 
seen me you would not have known me from Adam but I am getting pretty smart again  I am not 
sorry that I have had it now it is over for I shall not fear the small pox any more but I had a pretty 
hard time  I think I shall go to work again next week  I expect my sickness will cost me about 15 
dollers time and all which is quite a sum as low as wages are now  you wanted I should write 
about mens wages in the mill mens wages are good but boys wages very low  I do not think it 
will be best for you to try to work in the mill  you will have to work a good many years before 
you will be a capable overseer and none but such can get good wages  if you go into the mill now 
you will have to be very steady and I know that youre disposition will not admit of youre being 
confined from 5 in the morning till 7 at night in a noisey factory and luging around a great basket 
of bobbins  you would soon get tired of that fun I will promise you and then you must put up 
with a great many things which you never had to put up with before  you would probably get 
scolded sometimes and that you know that you would not bear very patiently which would make 
it all the worse for you you would soom get weary and discontented and then you would not be 
much better off for what you had done  a boy canot get along so easy in the mill with their work 
as the girls do with theirs for it is harder to learn it  the girls have nothing to do but tend the work 
after it is all fixed and set to going  the men have to keep the looms and machinery in order and 
put in the webs [----] and fix them all in order for weaving before the girls have anything to do 
with it which makes the mens work more trying and more particular a great deal than the girls 
when I come home I will tell you all about it more than I can write  I should be very glad to have 
you here whare I can see you but I know in all reason Lele⁶ it will not be for your best interest  I 
think the best thing that you can do will be to go into some country town and learn a good trade 
get into some respectable shop and be steady and industrious and do what you think is perfectly 

  ^{1 Amy Melenda Galusha b: 16 Apr 1825, Berkshire, VT d: 9 Oct 1869, Berkshire, VT.
  2 Brother – Aaron Leland Galusha b: 14 Sep 1832, VT;  married: Sarah Armstrong.
  3 Lowell, Massachusetts.
  4 varioloid
  5 vaccinated
  6 Brother - Aaron Leland Galusha b 14 Sep 1832, VT; married: Sarah Armstrong.}
 

right  take youre bible keep it by you where you can get at it handy read a portion of it every day 
and follow its precepts every day  be considerate in everything  if any one asks you to do a thing 
stop and think if it is right  you can easely tell whether a thing is right or wrong by stopping to to 
think  if you think it is wrong tell them at once that it is not right and that you will not do it and 
let that be the last of it  do not stop to argue the point at all for they may be better skilled in 
argument then you are and by that I means you may weaken a strong point  if you think it is 
wrong say so and that will be enough  be independent  do not be persuaded by any one however 
smart or rich or influential to do a wrong action  you have a good mind enough for anybody if 
you will be guided by that  do not let the evil spirit get the uper hand at any time  if you can—t 
decide upon any question yourself go to someone that you know to be good for advise [advice] 
do not associate with any whose character is the least doubtful of either sex especialy the oposite 
Lealand for heavens sake let no fancy get the uper hands of reason  do not be too ardent an 
admirer of outside apearances if you are attracted by a beautiful form or face stop and consider 
watch the actions and words with a jealous eye  see if retiring modesty reigns there  see if [torn 
area] place of all [torn area] of folly and frivalous actions there is anything like common sense to 
guide the bark or if its frail and delicate form is left pilotless upon the vast ocean of time to be 
driven by the winds of pride and folly to the gulf of distruction Leland I think of you a great deal 
and tremble for youre welfare for many a boy has been ruined when young by keeping bad 
company  but my sheet (is almost full or I might say quite full  you must answer my letter as 
soon as you receive it  give my love to [JC] and  [----ll] write to them soon  write soon)

 (Write as soon as you receive this I heard from Canada last night Jane Westover come 
down and Mrs Stark)
                                                         Amy L. Galusha

(dear Lele be kind to pa an ma do not do any thing to greive or hurt their feelings for you do not 
know how much they feel for youre welfare Lele the world is cold pitiless and miserliy what I 
have suffered no one knows but I have lived to find a calm a blessed calm in a land of strangers 
I know that youre feelings are tender like as mine  were and capable of believing the insinuations 
of heartless wretches who will deceive you and then expose every little word and action and 
egreavate it to the highest pitch  put no confidence in any one however friendly they may appear 
until you have thoroughly proved them)

(give my love to [----] enquiring friends  give my love to Aunt I and L and J and all uncle Bens 
folks)

(you must not show this letter to any body except ma or pa  it is written from the fountain of an 
overflowing and affectionate heart and must not be exposed to the scorn of an unfeeling world)

[on cover]
Aaron L. Galusha
West Berkshire, VT