Washington Decr 24th 1821
Dear Samuel,
Owing I suppose to the badness of the traveling, which at
this season of the year often retards the mails, your letter of the 13th
did not arrive until this day, it ought to have come to hand yesterday
or the day before- I therefore postponed writing to you until this
day in hopes of hearing from home. I am extremely sorry to
learn by it that your old complaint, the rheumatism, still continues
to afflict you; I hope, and cannot help believing, that, when the weather
shall have become more steady and uniform, you will be relieved
from it. It gives me some consolation to know that the family are
as well as when I left home, I did hope to hear that your Mama
was improving in her health; but at the same time I was fearful
that it might become worse. I hope that Hannah Paddock will
be prevailed upon to spend part of her time at least at our house.
I believe it would be a great comfort to your Mama, and altho it
Your letters have come regularly once a week & I wish you
to continue writing as you have begun - you need be under any
no
apprehension, that any thing you write will prove uninteresting to
me. I see nothing by your letters, but that every thing relating to
the business of the family, farm &c goes on well- It seems that
Mr Folman has left the store, and William P. has taken charge of
it- I am sorry for Folman - for I can think of no business which
he can engage in at present, by which he can support his family-
And as it respects William, if he only tarries this winter, it may
be some advantage to him, which I fear would not be the case if
he should tarry next summer. But of this he must be the judge,
not I- I have written every week, and have sent you the
Intelligencer, which I hope you will regularly receive- Last week
I enclosed to you in two letters $150.- with directions how to dispose
of the same - these letters I hope will arrive safe- I have, since
I have been
here
written how to proceed in all matters and affairs that
I wished you to attend to, so far as they have occurred to my recollection.
If these letters arrive safe I have no doubt but that what I have
asked will be attended to- There has nothing of much importance
been yet done in Congress. Tomorrow is Christmas, and congress will
not meet for business- Next week is assigned to the discussion of the
Bankrupt bill, which will very likely bring out the legal talents
of the House, and will probably take up two or three weeks-
I shall send on to you such documents as I shall consider will
be interesting - which are not in the Intelligencer-
Give my love to your Mama, and inform her that
she is constantly had in remembrance by me, & that I shall
write to her next week- My love also to mary tell her
I shall expect a letter from her once in two or three weeks-
Remember me also to Charles & Mary S-
I am with sentiments of affection
Yours
Samuel C Crafts
Mr S P Crafts