Travis Mills Dec^br 28^th 1803
My dear Mary Ann & Betsy
I would not omit so good an Opportunity
of Answering your Letter by Miss H Roberts as I doubt not
but you will be glad to see her return, I am very glad to
hear you have all been tolerable in her Absence, I dare
say if I could have given a peep at you I should some times
have seen you very busy, in a few years I hope you
will be able to manage the House & take care of your
Brothers & Sisters, you will then take a great weight
of your dear Father, as I hear you are grown very tall
and much lustier than your Cousin Betsy, at present
she is very well & has been full of care in Miss R Absence
Miss Canby was a good deal with them or they was with
us, & she always slept with Betsy, your Uncle & I dined
& drank tea with them several times, your Uncle joined
[new page]
them sometimes at a {?Rubber} at Whist which they are
always very happy when he makes one of their party,
Jonathan was not quite well the last week but he is
better you would be delighted to hear him play upon
the Fiddle, he plays several Country Dances we have often
Concerts, I expect a little Girl of Mrs Smalleys on Thursday
to spend a part of the Holidays with us she is at a Mrs
Ellinthorpes School, she is only 8 years Old she has
been here several times but does not seem very sociable
with your Cousins at present, I hope she will improve
upon seeing a little more of them, spoiled Children are
unpleasant to every one, we are expecting your Cousin
Holmes & Miss Fletcher soon I had a letter on Saturday we
shall be very glad to see them, a friend my Fathers enjoys,
I hope I can say he is better if he can keep from getting
cold a little thing fatigues him, he goes in a Morn^g to
the Warehouse the Afternoons he spends with us, he would
enjoy your Company very much if you was to come –
I was disappointed Mr Kershaw did not lett you know
he was coming as I am always glad to hear from you,
he stay’d 2 Nights with Sam he is now got very well
except a Bile he had the last week upon his hip which
was very troublesome it is better, they are all very Happy
together, I fancy James is enjoying his Holidays with you as
[new page]
I fancy the Boys are all gone home, your Cousin Sam will
spend the Winter at home as he has an Opportunity of
riding out which I hope will do him good, he is sometimes
a little hoarse which will {?Reymine} him to be careful
of himself, I have not heard from Houghton this 3
weeks, I am very glad to hear your Grandmother is
so well she has spent a very dull year the last –
I hope in the Spring if we all keep well to be able to
take a ride over, my Brother and his family has been
dining hear I find Jonathan & Bett are both for writing so
I think it is high time for me to conclude with my [illeg]
& my kind love to your Father, your Brothers & Sisters
& self, wishing you all health & happiness is the
wish of your Cousin H Hatfield
Your Uncle & I have sent you my dear Cousins each a small
Rememberance which hopes you will Accept along with
a Couple of Fowls & a few Oranges farewell
they are your Cousin Sam Choise.
[new page]
Mis Nicholson
Favourd by Miss H Roberts
Gateacre

Travis Mills Dec^br 28^th 1803
My dear Mary Ann & Betsy
I would not omit so good an Opportunity
of Answering your Letter by Miss H Roberts as I doubt not
but you will be glad to see her return, I am very glad to
hear you have all been tolerable in her Absence, I dare
say if I could have given a peep at you I should some times
have seen you very busy, in a few years I hope you
will be able to manage the House & take care of your
Brothers & Sisters, you will then take a great weight
of your dear Father, as I hear you are grown very tall
and much lustier than your Cousin Betsy, at present
she is very well & has been full of care in Miss R Absence
Miss Canby was a good deal with them or they was with
us, & she always slept with Betsy, your Uncle & I dined
& drank tea with them several times, your Uncle joined
[new page]
them sometimes at a {?Rubber} at Whist which they are
always very happy when he makes one of their party,
Jonathan was not quite well the last week but he is
better you would be delighted to hear him play upon
the Fiddle, he plays several Country Dances we have often
Concerts, I expect a little Girl of Mrs Smalleys on Thursday
to spend a part of the Holidays with us she is at a Mrs
Ellinthorpes School, she is only 8 years Old she has
been here several times but does not seem very sociable
with your Cousins at present, I hope she will improve
upon seeing a little more of them, spoiled Children are
unpleasant to every one, we are expecting your Cousin
Holmes & Miss Fletcher soon I had a letter on Saturday we
shall be very glad to see them, a friend my Fathers enjoys,
I hope I can say he is better if he can keep from getting
cold a little thing fatigues him, he goes in a Morn^g to
the Warehouse the Afternoons he spends with us, he would
enjoy your Company very much if you was to come –
I was disappointed Mr Kershaw did not lett you know
he was coming as I am always glad to hear from you,
he stay’d 2 Nights with Sam he is now got very well
except a Bile he had the last week upon his hip which
was very troublesome it is better, they are all very Happy
together, I fancy James is enjoying his Holidays with you as
[new page]
I fancy the Boys are all gone home, your Cousin Sam will
spend the Winter at home as he has an Opportunity of
riding out which I hope will do him good, he is sometimes
a little hoarse which will {?Reymine} him to be careful
of himself, I have not heard from Houghton this 3
weeks, I am very glad to hear your Grandmother is
so well she has spent a very dull year the last –
I hope in the Spring if we all keep well to be able to
take a ride over, my Brother and his family has been
dining hear I find Jonathan & Bett are both for writing so
I think it is high time for me to conclude with my [illeg]
& my kind love to your Father, your Brothers & Sisters
& self, wishing you all health & happiness is the
wish of your Cousin H Hatfield
Your Uncle & I have sent you my dear Cousins each a small
Rememberance which hopes you will Accept along with
a Couple of Fowls & a few Oranges farewell
they are your Cousin Sam Choise.
[new page]
Mis Nicholson
Favourd by Miss H Roberts
Gateacre