hildren are sick, but I gave her medicine
and think she will soon be well again. Mrs. Gibbs and Mrs. Randall and
others sent me yesterday a dozen large peaches, two melons, a lot
of shell-beans and tomatoes, a dish of blackberries and some fried
corn-cakes--not an atom of the whole of which shall I touch, taste,
handle, or smell; so you need not fear my killing myself. Mrs. Capt.
Delano, where the Rev. Mr. Brock from England stayed, has just lost two
children after a few days' illness. They were buried in one coffin. Old
Gideon Howland, the richest man here, is also dead. The papers are full
of deaths. Our dear baby is nine months old to-day, and may God, if He
_sees best_, spare her to us as many more; and if He does not, I feel as
if I could give her up to Him--but we don't know what we can do till
the time comes. I hear her sweet little voice down stairs and it sounds
happy, so I guess she feels pretty comfortable.

_Sabbath Evening._--The baby is better, and I dare say it is my
imagination that says she looks pale and puny. She is now asleep in your
study, where too I am sitting in your chair. I came down as soon as I
could this morning, and have stayed here all day. It is so quiet and
pleasant among your books and papers, and it was so dull up-stairs! I
thought before your letter came, while standing over the green, grassy
graves of Lizzie Read, Mary Rodman, and Mrs. Cadwell, [7] how I should
love to have dear Abby in such a green, sweet spot, where we could
sometimes go together to talk of her. I must own I should like to be
buried under grass and trees, rather than cold stone and heavy marble.
Should not you?

* * * * *

II.

Birth of a Son. Death of her Mother. Her Grief. Letters. Eddy's Illness
and her own Cares. A Family Gathering at Newburyport. Extracts from
Eddy's Journal.

Passing over another year, which was marked by no incidents requiring
special mention, we come again to a birth and a death in close
conjunction. On the 22d of October, 1848, her second child, Edward
Payson, was born. On the 17th of November, her mother died. Of the life
of this child she herself has left a minute record, portions of which
will be given later. In a letter to his sister, dated New Bedford,
November 21st, her husband thus refers to her mother's departure:

We have just received the sad intelligence of Mother Payson's death. She
passed away very peacefully, as if going to sleep, at ha