Betsy Mix Cowles Letter to Giles Cowles Regarding Economy and Canal Trip

              Portsmouth April 2. 1842 
Dear Giles 
I expect by this time you 
begin to think me bankrupt- & what more 
or less could you think; in these degenerate 
days?  "Hard times" make the [caret] people [written above line] blue, green & 
yellow in this quarter- it is groaning, trouble 
& distress in every nook & corner- how is 
it with you?  Are you coming this way as 
you said last fall?  I Should be delight 
ed to See you- but; mark! dont leave 
home until you are almost or quite 
well.  To be sick away from home must 
be bad enough- & you have tried it 
once- beware how you do so again- if 
however you should come this way spend 
as much time as possible with me. 
Until the 25 th. of April I shall be where 
I now am- at Lemuel Moss- about two 
miles from Portsmouth- after that time 
I expect to be at Mr. Doles in town. I closed 
my school two weeks since- have engaged 
to Mr. Williams the Presbyterian Minister 
who is teaching a school for young ladies- 
he gives me $ 25 per month.  He has a va- 
cation commencing the first of July & con- 
tinuing until the first of Sept.  Of course I