Friday, 11th February, 1848
Your interesting & most welcome letter was hailed with joy by us all, we were yearning to hear from you, & had just been trying to school ourselves into waiting patiently for another fortnight, as William had told us West Indian mail was in a few days before. We hope & think you are enjoying yourself, not withstanding your protracted voyage, & vexation of feeling your delay may injure your cotton buying prospects; but we will hope for best. I should just like a peep at you, for I expect all sea breezes you have been inhaling have braced & strengthened you, & I dare say you are prettily tanned, you don't freckle now, or you would have your Crosby face.
Bury has been very dull & our sister among others has been longing for a party. They had their wish satisfied last Thursday, when Minnie & her sponsor gave their first party. The one we had here end of October was model as that was considered very successful; it went off very well, tho' Joey did not think it equaled pattern party.
Elizabeth & children look uncommonly well. Elizabeth is talking seriously of having a governess, & if William would come into plan, she would look out for one. I think neither she nor William is satisfied with school, & it is terribly expensive for a day school. A governess would be a great advantage to children they are so often left;
Joey is going to have a small party in honor of Miss Flint, but it is to be a quiet one, as I do not feel up to a racket. Mama thinks her very bold to venture without your aid. You see, my dear John, you are so important to us in every way. You will laugh when I tell you some of expedients to which want of your protecting arm has made us resort. There have been a great number of highway robberies this winter, & we women kind have felt so defenseless without you that to make evil-disposed spies suppose we have a felly in house, one of your hats occupies conspicuous position on lobby table then when any beggar enquires for "master", he is never told you are gone to America, & in short so many precautions are taken, that I tell Mama we only want some cheeses christened Thomas, Robert, James Etc, to roll down stairs, should such a calamity as a robbery occur. Are we not a valiant set?
The last two nights wind has been very high, & it has been quite a consolation to think as we listened to it that you are no longer exposed to all "perils of' deep". I hope Mr & Mrs Leech are kind, & that you like New Orleans. Does it not seem very strange to see so many blacks as I suppose there are! and are you a witness to any of the horrors of slavery? or is all that kept in back-ground. What a great deal you will have seen, before you set foot once more in old England!
Now goodbye, my dear Brother, my best wishes attend you. God bless you,
Believe me, your very affectionate sister
Sarah