The day after I left your ho&longs;pitable
dwelling, brought me &longs;afe to that of my honored
mamma; to the &longs;eat of maternal and &longs;ilial affection;
of &longs;ocial ea&longs;e and dome&longs;tic peace; of
every &longs;pecies of happine&longs;s which can re&longs;ult from

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religion and virtue; from refinement in morals,
and manners.

I found my brother and his wife, with Lucy
Freeman and Mr. Sumner, waiting to receive
and bid me welcome. I flew with extacy to the
bo&longs;om of my mamma, who received me with
her accu&longs;tomed affection, te&longs;tified by the expressive
tears of tenderne&longs;s which &longs;tole &longs;ilently down
her widowed cheek. She was unable to &longs;peak.
I was equally &longs;o. We therefore indulged, a moment,
the plea&longs;ing emotions of &longs;ympathi&longs;ing sensibility.
When di&longs;engaged from her fond embrace,
I was &longs;aluted by the others in turn; and
having recovered my&longs;elf, I pre&longs;ented Mr. Boyer
to each of the company, and each of the company
to him. He was cordially received by all,
but more e&longs;pecially by my mamma.

The next day I was called upon and welcomed
by &longs;everal of my neighboring acquaintance;
among whom I was not a little &longs;urpri&longs;ed to &longs;ee
Major Sanford. He came in company with
Mr. Stoddard and Lady, whom he overtook, as
he told me, near by; and, as they informed him
that the de&longs;ign of their vi&longs;it was to welcome me
home, he readily accepted their invitation to partake
of the plea&longs;ure which every one mu&longs;t receive
on my return. I bowed &longs;lightly at his
compliment, taking no vi&longs;ible notice of any peculiarity
of expre&longs;&longs;ion either in his words or
looks.

His politene&longs;s to Mr. Boyer, appeared to be
the re&longs;ult of habit. Mr. Boyer's to him, to be

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forced by re&longs;pect to the company to which he
had gained admi&longs;&longs;ion. I dare &longs;ay, that each felt
a con&longs;cious &longs;uperiority; the one on the &longs;core of
merit; the other on that of fortune. Which
ought to outweigh, the judicious mind will easily
decide. The &longs;cale, as I once ob&longs;erved to
you, will turn as fancy or rea&longs;on preponderates.
I believe the e&longs;teem which I now have for Mr.
Boyer, will keep me &longs;teady; except, perhaps,
&longs;ome little excentricities, now and then, ju&longs;t by
way of variety. I am going to morrow morning
to &longs;pend a few days with Lucy Freeman;
to a&longs;&longs;i&longs;t in the preparation for, and the solemnization
of her nuptials, Mr. Boyer, in the mean
time, will tarry among his friends in town. My
mamma is exce&longs;&longs;ively partial to him; though I
am not yet jealous that &longs;he means to rival me,
I am not certain, however, but it might be happy
for him if &longs;he &longs;hould. For I &longs;u&longs;pect, notwithstanding
the di&longs;parity of her age, that &longs;he is better
calculated to make him a good wife than I
am or ever &longs;hall be.

But to be &longs;ober. Plea&longs;e, madam, to make my
compliments acceptable to tho&longs;e of your neighbors,
who&longs;e politene&longs;s and attention to me, while
at your hou&longs;e, have laid me under particular obligations
of gratitude and re&longs;pect. My be&longs;t regards
attend General Richman. Pray tell him,
that though I never expect to be &longs;o good a
wife as he is ble&longs;&longs;ed with; yet I intend, after a
while (when I have &longs;owed all my wild cats) to
make a tolerable one.

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I am anxious to hear of a wi&longs;hed for event,
and of your &longs;afety. All who know you, feel interested
in your health and happine&longs;s; but none
more warmly than your obliged and affectionate.