L[ydia] M[aria] C[hild] ALS to Louisa Loring, June 23, 1844

New York, June 23d 1844.

Dearest Louise,

Do you ever think of me, now-
a-days? I think of you much and often. I had
a letter from Anna Thaxter, the other day, describing
a visit to you; and merely to hear from one who had
been with you; was refreshing. Anna's chief
object in writing was to induce me to come and spend
two or three months at Ilingham. I felt very grateful
for the invitation, and rejoiced that she wanted me to
come. But really it did seem to me very funny, -
with my hatred of travelling, and my extreme aversion
to being out of my own nest, - to think of promenading
the beaches of Hingham for two or three months.
I wrote her word that my abhorence of locomotion
was so great, that I thought nothing could tempt me
into a steam-boat, short of going to Mammoth
Cave with Ole Bul, and having him play the
Mother's Prayer to me, as we crossed the echoing
Jordan. That prospect ahead might possibly start

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John desires most cordial love to you all. He sends a little doll-quilt
to his favorite Red Apron, at West Beach; which please to send.

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Is it not too bad? Bentley
has never paid me a cent for
my 15 pages on Mammoth
Cave; though he sent for it
himself, and published it
nearly a year ago.

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