so. At a Whig
festival got up in Boston in his honor, at which he and 1,200 other
Whigs were present, there were drunk 2,300 bottles of champagne,
two bottles to each man. Mr. Clay attended balls at the Springs. He
had a slave with him to wait on him and hand him water to clear out
his throat while he was speaking; and this while he was preaching
liberty and declaring what a fine thing this freedom is!

While at New Rochelle Susan becomes greatly interested in the culture
of silk-worms, upon which the principal was experimenting. She writes
home full descriptions and urges them to ascertain if black mulberry
trees grow about there; she herself knew of one. She insists that the
sisters can teach school and take care of the silk-worms at the same
time, but evidently receives no encouragement as no more is heard of
the project. She retains the keenest interest in every detail of the
life at home. She sends some cherry stones to be planted because the
cherries were the largest and best she ever ate. A box of shells is
carefully gathered for brother Merritt, and sent with a grass linen
handkerchief for sister Mary. She sends back her mother's shawl for
fear she may need it more than herself. In the currant season she
writes that nothing in the world would taste so good as one of mother's
currant pies. She urges them to send her part of the family sewing to
do outside of school hours. She frequently walks down to Long Island
sound, a mile and a half away, and says at one time:

The sun was passing toward the western horizon, and all seemed calm
and tranquil save the restless wash of the waves against the beach.
A gentle breeze from the water refreshed our tired bodies. To one
unaccustomed to such scenes it was like a glimpse into another
world. In the distance one could see the villages of Long Island,
but I could think only of that village called home, and I longed
every moment to be there.

Her school commenced May 23 and closed September 6, a term of fifteen
weeks, for which she received $30, and she expresses her grief that,
after having paid for necessary clothes and incidentals, she has only
enough left to take her home. She reaches Center Falls in time to
assist in the final preparations for the wedding, on September 19,
1839, of her sister Guelma to Aaron McLean, a prosperous merchant at
Battenville.

Susan's next school was in her home district at Center Falls,