[Lowell]³ Dec 15 1850

Dear Mother

I received youre kind letter and Hellens⁴ both in the same day and read them with feelings which 
can better be imagined than described

     I was not at all surprised to learn of youre trouble for I had been warned by dreams and 
dark forebodings that all was not right at home which was the source of my great weariness I 
expected to hear bad news when with a trembling hand and beating heart I broke the seal  But I 
am thankful that it is as well with you as it is  I feared least Fathers long protracted cough had at 
length worn out his constitution and nature had sank under the oppression of disease and the 
grave had claimed him as its prey  but when I leaned that it was you that was the sufferer and 
from that dreadfull disease to which you have so long been subject the currant of my feelings 
was turned from dispair to sorrow and grief intermingled with thankfullness for youre recovery 
and now my dear Mother I do entreat you to be careful of youre health  do not work too hard 
keep Arvilla  with you and have her do all she can for you  do not take cold  do not wet youre 
feet  be still and quiet in the house as much as you can  I received youre letter of nov 6 but not 
till after I had mailed mine of Dec 1st  I went to the office myself and in looking  over the 
advertised list I found my own name and got my letter  it had laid thare nearly a month the 
reason of my not receiving it through the penny post was that you directed it to Lawrance 19⁶
instead of Tremont  It may seem strange that I do not board on the corporation on which I am 
working but I have some very warm friends at Mrs Thomas⁷ that I want to stay with  those with 
whom I first became acquainted when I came to Lowell

     Mrs Peirce is here and sends her love to you  she is one of the kindest old ladies you ever 
seing  she is a mother to me and I do not know how I should get along without her
 

  ^{1Amy Melenda Galusha b: 16 Apr 1825, Berkshire, VT d: 9 Oct 1869, Berkshire, VT.
  2Mother – Polly Larabee b: 4 Feb 1797, Weathersfield, VT d: 8 Dec 1874, VT; married 1825: William Galusha 
     b: 1796, VT; occupation: minister.
  3Lowell, Massachusetts; occupation: mill worker, Lawrence Mills; boards: Mrs. Mary M. Thomas, Tremont 
     Mills, Boardinghouse #19.
  4Sister – Helen Galusha
  5Sister – Arvilla Galusha
  6Lawrence Mills, Boarding house #19 
  7Mrs. Mary M. Thomas b: 1818, VT; occupation: Boardinghouse Keeper; Tremont Mills #19.}
 

     We room in the lower back  we have a nice little fire place which keeps us warm as toast 
we have fire satturday evenings and sunday and other evenings too if we want it

     Well I suppose Christmas is close upon us and I hope it will be welcomed with joy as the 
birth day of our redeemer  you and Father must sing “While Shepherds Watch their flocks by 
night” and think I am joining you for I shall remember all the good old times that we have had 
together  I am glad that Father has got reconciled to my staying here for I was afraid he never 
would be  I shall probably stay another year if I am well  I want you should find out how much it 
will cost to get an adition built for you but you must get some man to take hold of it for you one 
that will go ahead and make good calculer  I wish uncle George would do the calculating  he is 
the best one that I can think of if he has not too many cares of his own  for I am confident that 
Lealand⁸ will never do anything about it  if he cannot keep himself cloathed he certqinly cannot 
think of building houses  I will send you one hundred dollars in one year from the first of next 
month if I have my health  but I do not know as you can get much of a building up for that and 
perhaps people will not trust me for so large a sum in berkshire⁹  but if you could get a 
comfortable house next summer I should be willing to suffer any privation for the sake of ading 
to youre comfort

     If you can get along for provisions and wood without my help I shall be able to lay up the 
most of  [torn letter] wages which will amount to something like 9 dollars per month the year 
round I shall put it in the bank whare it will gain a little acording to the proffit of their money

 Tell Hellen that I was very thankful for her letter which was a great consolation to me 
She wrote about evrything in the naighborh that I wanted to hear about  I should like very much 
to be with you all this winter but I must be content to stay with my looms awhile longer they are 
the best friends I have here  no not friends for they are poor unconcious things, but very good 
company nevertheless

     Tell Aunt Milla that I was very much obliged to her for her kind offer of having me come 
to stay with her this winter but think it best to stay here at present

     Give my love and thanks to Aunt Lucy and all the friends that you may see

     I expect that John French and Rhoda have gone to Lawrince¹⁰ to work  I have not seen 
them since a fortnite ago to day and they were talking of going then

 Give my love to Harding and Jannette and Viola and Aunt Syntha and all  I cannot write 
much about the church for I have left off going to meeting because I cannot go without nice 
cloths and paying for a seat [torn letter] have had a great many very unhappy feelings since but if 
God makes the path of duty plain to me I will try to walk in it  I never made so great a sacrifice 
as that in my life  I do not feel happy when I am away from meeting  I am uncomfortable all the 
time but I hope God will  not impute the sin to my charge for it seems to be the only way that I 
can do  if I had some one to assist it would seem a lighter burden but I am alone and must stand 
 

  ^{8Brother – Aaron Leland Galusha b: 14 Sep 1832, VT; married: Sarah Armstrong.
  9Berkshire, Vermont.
  10Lawrence, Massachusetts.}
 

alone in the performance of my duties  I hoped that L¹¹ would be thoughtful enough to do 
something to help me but that is out of the question

[on cover]
Rev. William Galusha
Berkshire, VT
 

 ^{11Brother – Aaron Leland Galusha b: 14 Sep 1832, VT; married: Sarah Armstrong.}