Lowell³ Oct 9, 1853

Dear Parents

     I received youre kind lettter yesterday and was very glad to here from you for I had been 
thinking that you was sick the reason that you did not answer my letter sooner  I hope that you 
will be carefull and not work too hard and catch cold for it is a very bad time for colds down here 
I wish that you would not worry any more about Lealy⁴ for he is just as he is and God made him 
and he must take care of him  he did not work at his job but two [water stained] three days before 
he left and went on to the mill  he stayed there about a fortnight and then left and now he has 
gone to Woodstock NH to chopping [----]  I hope he will be steady now for he has twenty dollars 
per month and is found  any way I am glad he is away from here for he kept Arvill⁵ in the street 
almost all the time and she got so tired out before he went away that she has not worked any for 
a week  she does not earn hardly enough to pay her board but I hope she will do better now he 
has gone  but I don’t think she will ever be very smart to work  [P]lantina sends her love to you 
and so does Sarah Clark  I hope that you will write to me as often as you can but you need not 
expect any thing from Lealy for he is given over to searve the devil and if he does not get into 
states prison I shall be glad  I do not think that it is right for us to worry or distress ourselves 
about anybody  that has no care or thought for their own reputation or character  he is twenty one a
nd he must not have any more to do with the disposal of youre property  he had no business 
with youre [water stained] or the money that I sent to you for I have told you often enough that I 
could not earn money for him to waste and whatever money I send to you I want you to keepe 
for youre own use  but Arvill has not paid him for the money that she borrowed to come down 
here and she shall send it to you if ever she earns enough in the world  for he will do nothing but 
spend it in buying trinkets for [P]lantina if he has it  but you must not say anything to anybody 
about what I have written for the least that is said the sooner is is spoke  I love Lealy as well as 
ever I did but he must take care of himself  each tub must stand on its own bottom  but if he 
knew how hard I have to work for evry cent that I have he would be very hard hearted not to try 
to pay what he has of you  but I don’t know but I am saying too much  I don’t wish to be 
uncharitable so we will hope for the best
 

  ^{1Amy Melenda Galusha b: 16 Apr 1825, Berkshire, VT d: 9 Oct 1869, Berkshire, VT.
  2Parents – William Galusha b: 1796, VT; occupation: minister; married 1825: Polly Larabee
    b: 4 Feb 1797,  Weathersfield, VT d: 8 Dec 1874, VT.
  3Lowell, Massachusetts; occupation: mill worker
  4Brother – Aaron Leland Galusha b: 14 Sep 1832, VT; married: Sarah Armstrong.
  5Sister – Arvilla Galusha}
 

     my own health has been very good this fall  I have not had but one bad cold since I came 
down here but I cofed⁶ every day after  I shall [----ce] [water stained] we have got the 11 hour 
system here  now [water stained] do not have to work so long as we did but we are agoing to 
have higher speed by and by  so we shall have to work harder [while] we do work,  Arvilla and I 
are agoing over to John Frenches to night  I supose Rhoda is almost as bad a Jane poor girls I 
hope they will bouth get along well  Ann and Mary are bouth well and send their respects to you 
Hellen⁷ has not written to me yet  you may tell her that I saw Chang and Eng before she did and 
their wives and five children  indeed I shall send you some more money in about a fortnight I 
am glad that the post office is changed because it will be more conveniant for you  give my love 
to all the neighbors especially to Maryett and Lucina and Mr Evans girls  if you see them tell 
them I should be very glad to have them write to me when they can make it conveniant give my 
love to Mrs Parton and Leafy Stanhope  tell Leafy that I wish she was for she is a steady girl and 
would company for me  I have been to church [water stained] heard a sermon preached by the 
Winn pastor of the second baptist ch in this place  the text was be not God is not mocked for 
what a man soweth that shall he also reap  it was a very different discourse from the one 
preached by Mr Brown last spring in Berkshire⁸ from the same text  but I must stop writing soon 
for want of time light and paper  so good by for this time

                                                                   A.M. Galusha

  ^{6coughed
  7Sister – Helen Galusha
  8Berkshire, Vermont.}