Byberry. Jan. 16^th, 1856

My Lovely Ellen,

            I must not defer any longer writing to you. It has not been so very long since your letter came to me, has it? for indeed I cannot tell how the days come and go.
            I think of you and lots of others often but of you the most, I know you will say you don't much believe it, just what you said when I said your letters did me good. You like Jos' Pierce' do you? Well that's more than I do, he comes to see me sometimes, takes me out selighing [sleighing]. Ellie don't you miss your music? I practice two hours every day. Yesterday was my birth-day, I was seven-teen, I am getting old. Did you get any Christmas presents? I did, my brother Bob gave me a very pretty ring, George Barker gave me a beautiful bottle, did you like the Barkers much? Wasn't George bashful.
            Does Miss Anna C. Davis, come to Sharon often, you like to have her come to see you, don't you dear? Ellie, in one of your letters a long time ago, you charged me with being afraid of Anna, what made you think so? I don't think I am, not much any-how, she is hard on a fellow sometimes but I love her for it, she is what I call a great girl, don't you? Heard from Lottie Pope yet, and her father's failure! Isn't it too bad? I'm so sorry.
            Ellie, only think of poor little [Georgie?] Hopper; Isn't it sad! poor Love! I feel very sorry.
            Oh! This is such a busy world. I find so many things to do, I am almost discouraged some times: how the days do steal on us, and steal from us, I cannot see any chance for ever getting my work accomplished. Nel! I have been teaching my little brothers and sister this winter, for there is no school here for them to go, except a Public School, and there they are made, [to] sit by their selvels [sic], because their faces are not as white as the rest of the scholars. Oh! Ellie how it makes my blood boil when I think of it. Dame Fortune has not been very good to us.
            When you write to Addie give my love to hear [sic] I shall write to her some day, but I can't now. So John Plumly presented you with a quire of note paper. I feel very very jealous! Tell me just what you are doing, who do you room with? somebody nice. Are your teachers kind and good. I had a letter from my darling sister Pattie, the other day; she has a dear little boy, I wish you could see her I know you would like her.
            When you write tell me ever so much about your self; --Ned Longstreth; he goes to R-Bay [Raritan Bay] Union soon, don't he? or has he gone? would you like to go back? How is Eliza Schofield? give my love to her, tell her to write to me (that is if she wants to) Like [Darby?] much? What kind of people live their? [sic]
                        Now--good-by dear, as ever
                        your friend   Hattie Purvis.

General note:   For the most part, transcripts retain the author's original spelling, abbreviations, underlining, capitalization, and punctuation (or lack thereof).   Transcriber's comments, changes or additions are in brackets.