Part 5

Sunday eve- It has been all day & still is, raining another flood I fear- All the men in the neighborhood came here to keep the sabbath by drinking whiskey &c &c- but no swearing-- I sat reading very quietly & one of them came & desir'd to look over me- I very much doubted whether he could read, but he convinc'd me he could by his observations, which were given with such a tobacco breath as almost suffocated me- He was not more than half shaved, & could read without spelling more than half the words- for he would read a page & half in an hour, nearly-- There is a sweet little boy here about 3 years old- He has been writing with me some time & talks so much to me that I am as slow writing as this man was reading-- This is the 6th sabbath since I left you-- We have lost our company--I quite want to see some of them again--

Wednesday Nov- 28- 7 miles from Greersburg-Penn-

I have had no opport^y of writing you for 3 days-before now- We set out in the rain on Monday, & came on 13 miles- to a hut- with a sign up call'd a tavern- & such a place!- I found the people belong'd to a very ancient & noble family- They were first & second cousins to his _Satanic Majesty_- I could but wonder that he should suffer them to lead so laborious a life, for they are among his most faithful friends & subjects-- Probably they are more useful to him in that station, by increasing the number of his subjects-- Their dwelling resembles that of their royal cousin- for it is very dark & gloomy & only lighted by a great fire- No one who is once caught in it, ever wishes to be again-- The man is only related by marriage to his lordship----

Wednesday eve--

The house had only one room in it-- There was a number of travellers & we got but one bed- that was straw or something harder- The pillow case had been on 5 or 6 years I _reckon_, so I pin'd over my handkerchief- & put night gown over my frock--We rose an hour before day break, got breakfast & set out in the snow for another hut- We rode several miles on the Northern bank of the Ohio- We saw a very large rock containing a great many names-we added ours to the number-- The road was at the foot of a very high hill or mountain, & so near the river, there was scarcely room for a waggon- I rode in constant fear, for the bank down to the river, was very high and steep-- We came on 12 miles, to Beaver town, on Tuesday- We cross'd the big Beaver, a stream which empties into the Ohio- It is generally, fordable, but is at present so rais'd by the rain, that a flat is used-- We found a very good Inn at Beaver town; & soon after supper, Judge Austin & a M^r Weatherby (Merchant-) of Warren, came in--Not Dobson nor Stephenson)-- I felt as glad to see them & as well acquainted with them in a few minutes, as if we had all our lives been neighbors--The Judge, resembles D^r Goodsel in his looks:- but is older & larger- M^r Weatherby looks like T. Devereaux--They both, told me they were sorry M^r Edwards did not know I was on the road, that he might have sent an horse after me-- They were on their way to Pitt^g but Judge A, had some idea of returning immediately back to Warren, & they had a mind to hire a horse & have me return with him, but M^r Wolcott objected-- I can guess his reason for it, but I will not write it-- I very much wish'd it, as I fear I shall be oblig'd to walk a good part of the way- M^r W- says it would not hurt any of us to walk 9 miles every day of our lives- I told him I should not like to walk it in stormy weather, as we are now oblig'd to; but he said it would not hurt me if I shouldn't-- I have already worn out my boots almost entirely, with walking-- M^r W- is a very strange man- I don't know what to make of him --I shall be so thankful to get thro'- & then if I am caught with a Deacon of any name, again, I shall deserve to suffer-- We are within 40 miles of Warren, & to be unable to get there under 4 or 5 days, is perfectly tantalizing-- We came 10-1/2 miles to day, & are at a very comfortable Inn, just in the edge of Greersburg- We expected to get a little further, to Hart's tavern quite in the town: & there I hop'd to see judge Austin again, & I determin'd at any rate to accept his offer of getting me a horse, & go directly on with him, for I do not intend to walk 9 miles a day till we get there, if I can help it- even if it will not hurt me-- I won't take the _good_ deacon's word for that. The horses are really tir'd out & out, & every day by the time we get 4 miles they will stop & it is extremely difficult to get them on at all- but it is so _expensive_ hiring a horse to go on, that as long as the waggon alone, can be drawn 3 or 4 miles a day, it will not be done--but I feel provoked, as you will easily see, so I will write no more on this subject---- I am so anxious to end my journey, that I have lost all interest about the country I pass through-- it snows or rains every day, constantly-- I think in good weather, the ride from Warren to Pitts^g must be pleasant- If that were at present the case, my journal would be as much more interesting, as my journey would be pleasanter-- I am quite tir'd of both, but still so habituated to them, that I think it will seem very strange for a few days after I end them, (if I _live_ after that time) not to run out the waggon as soon as I have eaten my breakfast--& not to have my journal in my work-bag to fill it up-- It is very troublesome I assure you-- I fear it will be worn out before you get it- it is already very dirty, & so badly written you will never read half of it--

Thursday eve-

10 miles as usual has been our days ride-- I have not walk'd my 9 miles, but I walk'd as much as I could- We are in a comfortable house before an excellent fire- It is snowing very fast--

Saturday- P M- WARREN- After so long a time--

Friday morning we set out early with the hope of getting to Youngstown at night & to Warren to night, but 4 miles from Y----n, the horses were so tir'd they would not stir, so we stopt at a private house for the night, an hour before sun down-- We had been in the house but a little time, when Susan look'd out & told me she thought there was some one after me, & I soon saw M^r Edwards & 2 horses-- "I was never so happy I think"-- I ran out to meet him- He came in & set a while, & just at dark we started for Youngstown-- M^r Edwards insisted upon Susan's going with us, so she rode behind him, and I rode the single horse-- We reach'd _Cousin_ Joseph Woodbridge's about the middle of the eve-- They got us a good supper & gave us a bed-- M^{rs} W- is a very pretty woman (I mean pleasing)- They have 3 children, & appear to be very well off, (you understand me) & happy-- They live in a very comfortable log house, pleasantly situated-A cousin in this country, is not to be slighted I assure you- I would give more for one in this country, than for 20 in old Connecticut-- This morning M^{rs} Todd came over to see us, & urg'd us to stay & spend the day with her-- But spite of her solicitations, we set out for Warren soon after breakfast--My horse was extremely dull & we did not get here till near 2 oclock-- Cousin Louisa was as happy to see me as I could wish, & I think I shall be very happy & contented-- The town is pleasanter than I expected- The house better- & the children as fine--Cousin has alter'd very little, in any way--I found a M^rs Waldo here just going to Connecticut, & lest I should not have another opport^y, I intend sending this by them, without even time to read it over & correct it-- I _am_ asham'd of it My dear Elizabeth, & were it not for my promise to you, I don't know that I should dare to send it-- I will write your Mama by mail, I have not time for a letter now--My very best love to every body-- I have a great deal more to say, but no more time than just to tell you, I am ever

& most affect^{ly} Yours-

M V D----

Let no one see this but your own family--

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Transcriber's note

The following changes have been made to the text:

Page vi: "doutbless" changed to "doubtless".

Page 8: "to night" changed to "to-night".

Page 15: "the appear" changed to "they appear".

Page 19: "where we going" changed to "where we were going".

Page 53: "but is is an" changed to "but it is an".