Travis Mills Dec^br 13^th 1804
My dear Mary Ann
It was with pleasure I received
your kind letter by your Father & also the 2 Decanter Rugs which
I shall use & Vallue being the work of my 2 young friends
they are what I have often thought of working if you {^should work} any
more I think it will not be necessary to make them so large
I am sorry I did not display them to day they did not enter
my thoughts until I sat down to write I am happy to hear
your Grandmother & you are all well, she is a great
addition to your happiness in your Fathers absence, as he
is often oblig^d to be absent from you, I fancy you will
all be at the play tomorrow Evening was it not so great a
distance should wish^d to have join^d your party, but we
[new page]
must content ourselves with hearing it at second hand, will
wish you all well entertaind, you will have a loss of J H
house as it was like a second home for him, to be situated
near such kind friends is a great advantage, I fancy Miss
Roberts will be leaving you soon it will be a great change
both for her & you, I shall be happy to hear your Father
meets with a suitable on which I hope will not be long
his frequent Visits to Manchester makes it very pleasant
to us as he is kind in devoting as much of his time in our
family Circle as he can, my Brother & he is gone to spend their
Even^g at the forge which we regretted, it being {^a wet} night and a
bad road I hope they will return safe, I can with pleasure
say your Uncle Hatfield is as well as he has been some
time at present keeps free from cold, the weather has
been rather unfavourable since your Father came to us it
is fortunate he goes in the Coach, Mr J Saunderson call^d
at the Warehouse on Tuesday Morn^g he & his Lady was
on their road for Liverpool he intends visiting my Aunt,
which she will enjoy having a little chat with an Old
Neighbour, Miss Canby went yesterday to town to meet our
new Servant she was to come in the Coach but disappointed {^us}
[new page]
I hope tomorrow Even^g will bring her, as one these short
days makes us busy if she proves a good one we shall think
ourselves fortunate, my Brother & family are well they dined
with us to day but left us to go write their letters I fancy
you will have a Budget, they came last Night to play a
{?rubber? which amuses my Father for an hour before supper,
I hope I can give a good Account of my Bees I generally pay
them a Visit once or twice a day when the weather is fair,
and now & then give them a little sug^r which will save
their little stock of honey for the sprint, I had a long letter
from your Aunt Boardman which I think myself [damaged]
as it is one of my greatest pleasure writing & receiving
letters from my friends as I have it not in my power to
enjoy their society as often as I could wish, I hope we shall
see Mrs Holmes this Winter her last letter gave me hopes,
you ask me if I [damaged] young Roscious I did not attempt
as a crowd I always shun, if I can, for many Pay’d dear for
their entertainment, he is a wonderful youth there seems
the same bustle in London, you must my dear Maryann
excuse all blunders as Miss Canby is reading to my Father
while I write as he is not able to read himself which is
a great loss, remember me to my Aunt and give my kind love
to your Brothers & Sister and kiss your dr Sister Dorothea for me
your Affectionate Cousin H Hatfield
[new page]
Miss Nicholson
Gateacre

Travis Mills Dec^br 13^th 1804
My dear Mary Ann
It was with pleasure I received
your kind letter by your Father & also the 2 Decanter Rugs which
I shall use & Vallue being the work of my 2 young friends
they are what I have often thought of working if you {^should work} any
more I think it will not be necessary to make them so large
I am sorry I did not display them to day they did not enter
my thoughts until I sat down to write I am happy to hear
your Grandmother & you are all well, she is a great
addition to your happiness in your Fathers absence, as he
is often oblig^d to be absent from you, I fancy you will
all be at the play tomorrow Evening was it not so great a
distance should wish^d to have join^d your party, but we
[new page]
must content ourselves with hearing it at second hand, will
wish you all well entertaind, you will have a loss of J H
house as it was like a second home for him, to be situated
near such kind friends is a great advantage, I fancy Miss
Roberts will be leaving you soon it will be a great change
both for her & you, I shall be happy to hear your Father
meets with a suitable on which I hope will not be long
his frequent Visits to Manchester makes it very pleasant
to us as he is kind in devoting as much of his time in our
family Circle as he can, my Brother & he is gone to spend their
Even^g at the forge which we regretted, it being {^a wet} night and a
bad road I hope they will return safe, I can with pleasure
say your Uncle Hatfield is as well as he has been some
time at present keeps free from cold, the weather has
been rather unfavourable since your Father came to us it
is fortunate he goes in the Coach, Mr J Saunderson call^d
at the Warehouse on Tuesday Morn^g he & his Lady was
on their road for Liverpool he intends visiting my Aunt,
which she will enjoy having a little chat with an Old
Neighbour, Miss Canby went yesterday to town to meet our
new Servant she was to come in the Coach but disappointed {^us}
[new page]
I hope tomorrow Even^g will bring her, as one these short
days makes us busy if she proves a good one we shall think
ourselves fortunate, my Brother & family are well they dined
with us to day but left us to go write their letters I fancy
you will have a Budget, they came last Night to play a
{?rubber? which amuses my Father for an hour before supper,
I hope I can give a good Account of my Bees I generally pay
them a Visit once or twice a day when the weather is fair,
and now & then give them a little sug^r which will save
their little stock of honey for the sprint, I had a long letter
from your Aunt Boardman which I think myself [damaged]
as it is one of my greatest pleasure writing & receiving
letters from my friends as I have it not in my power to
enjoy their society as often as I could wish, I hope we shall
see Mrs Holmes this Winter her last letter gave me hopes,
you ask me if I [damaged] young Roscious I did not attempt
as a crowd I always shun, if I can, for many Pay’d dear for
their entertainment, he is a wonderful youth there seems
the same bustle in London, you must my dear Maryann
excuse all blunders as Miss Canby is reading to my Father
while I write as he is not able to read himself which is
a great loss, remember me to my Aunt and give my kind love
to your Brothers & Sister and kiss your dr Sister Dorothea for me
your Affectionate Cousin H Hatfield
[new page]
Miss Nicholson
Gateacre