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Sunnsyside Aug 13th 1847
My dear Charlie,
I have left your letter be a long time unanswered but you / must know that for a month past I have been busy and bothered in an / unexampled manner, in the arrangement / of my farm yard, building of out houses {illegible word} which has been altogether the most fatiguing – / ing and irksome job I have had in / whole course of my additions and / improvements. I have now scarcely got through / but it has almost made me fit to lie / by again on the sofa. However, this job finished, I shall have my place in / tolerable order and will have little more / to do than to see that my men keep it / so - which, however with Irish men as servants, / is the most difficult task of the whole. /
I am delighted to hear on all hands / such good accounts of your establishment.
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and of your housekeeping, though to be sure, / the latter are chiefly gathered from your / own letters. I am glad to find to (sic) that / you and William continue on such excellent terms, as it shows that he has / not found you out yet. I hope sincerely my / dear Charlie that you may ever continue to keep on the blind side of him; it should / ever be the main study of a good wife, and / is in fact the great secret of happy / domestic rule.
As the departure of you and Kate left / a vacancy in m household I have been / drumming up for recruits and have Pierres (sic) / daughters (Lilly) and Hatty with me so that / for the present my [requirements?] of nieces is / complete. I am much pleased with them / and hope they may find the cottage suf- / ficiently pleasant t induce them to come / often, though I have been so much engrossed /
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with my improvements that I have not had / time to take them out driving or to contri- / bute in any other way to their amuse - / ment. But they seem to have the knack of / amusing themselves and fortunately are / great readers, which is the best of all / resources. I intend to have Pierres (sic) / other children here by and by, as I wish / to become acquainted with the younger / branches of the family and Pierres (sic) children / as far as I have seen them interest me. /
I [presume at this time Mr. Grinnell and / your cousin/aunt Julia are with you. I trust you will / exert yourself to put the best face on things, / and since that housewife management on which I find you already begin to pride / yourself. Recollect the domestic credit of the cottage is staked upon you. I should feel / some confidence from your having Kate at hand / to council and support you did I not hear that Kate has become so giddy and volatile / and so given to simpering and waltzing. /
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Seriously speaking my own dear Charlie, all the accounts I hear of you and from you / are of the most deeply gratifying kind, and / convince me that your lot in life has every / prospect of being a happy one. I rejoice / too that you have our own dear Kate with / you at this commencement of your / matrimonial career, to witness your happiness, / to participate in it and to augment it. / It is really delightful to me to hear of her / [renovated?] spirits and gaiety.
God bless you my dear Charlie and / bless your habitation. I shall endeavor (sic) / when I have got through with my improve- / ments to pay you a brief visit but I al- / most fear I shall not be able to do it this / year. Remember, you are to pass time / with us this autumn and/ keep always in mind that Sunnyside / is your rightful home. With best / love to Kate and kindest remembrances / to William / Your affectionate Uncle /
Washington Irving"
