Betsy Mix Cowles Letter to Family Regarding School

              Portsmouth Sept. 21. 1842 
My Dear Sisters & Brother. 
Your letter was re+ 
cieved in due time, & a thousand, thousand 
thanks for it.  It did me more good than you 
can possibly imagine; indeed it was a rich 
cordial, wh. proved a precious relief.  When I look 
upon the Postmark; I almost dreaded to open 
it; expecting;  I hardly know; what.  The contents 
however dissipated every fear; & I went to School 
with a light heart, compared with what it 
had sometimes been.  But enough of this for the 
present; what is past, is past; regrets are useless 
& what cant be cured must be endured; & I find 
it the best way to do this [crossed out] endure cheerfully.  I shall 
ever most  sincerely regret getting into the fix I 
was; but as it was I think I did right in re - 
turning here; & every thing since my return, makes 
me think so.  Mr. Williams would have been dis= 
appointed, had I neither returned or sent a sub= 
stitute.  I have not regreted my decision a 
moment Since I landed.  Mr. Leet met me at 
the Boat & a more cordial; [caret] welcome [written above line] I never received than 
from him & his family; & have, & am now re- 
ceiving every possibly kindness.  The school is 
removed to a very pleasant room; & we have 
now twenty eight scholars; & I think them very 
good indeed; so it is as well as if they were.