206

    To Sarah Savage Thatcher

    Washington, D.C.        10 February 1801

    My dear—

    Every time I commence a letter to you I remark, with peculiar pleasure, on noting the date, how much of the interval of time, that seperates us, has been cut off since my last—And how much nearer I am to the third of march—I hope this day three weeks to be in the Stage with my face to the east—I anticipate a very boisterous, uncomfortable journey—Our winter hitherto hardly deserves that name, & tis possible it may continue; but, according to the old saying, the snow will not rot in the sky—it will fall sooner or later; & if it does not come in the first, it must be expected in the last part of the season—Sometimes there is more snow in the month of march than all the preceeding winter—And the people here agree in predicting a plenty of snow before the middle of next month—

    The whole of this day looks more like one of our Maine snow storms than any I have seen yet—but it is not very cold—And the roads so bad it cannot be more uncomfortable travling—

    After the receipt of this you will not have time to get a letter to me at this place; but I hope before I leave this, or at my coming to Boston, to have a Letter giving more decidedly some directions about Lucy [Thatcher]—And what I ought to offer Mrs. [Mary Atkins] Searl for her trouble & expence of her care I fear we can not keep her there another year; & yet I should like to have her there till next fall that she may have the advantage of a dancing school—If she wishes to go home with me, I will take her and Fanny [Searl], & bring her up again when the Dancing School begins so that she may have six months—

    Inclosed is a ten dollar bill—pay as you go along—I shall forward more next week

    To morrow is the day appointed by the Constitution to elect a President of the U. States by the House of Representatives—Whether Mr. [Thomas] Jefferson or Mr. [Aaron] Burr will be the man is very uncertain—

    Your most affectionate

    * * *

    ALS, TFP. Addressed to Biddeford; franked.