[Lydia] Maria [Child] ALS to Anna Loring, November 6, 1850

West Newton Nov 6th, 1850.

Dear Anna,

I have not been so sorry and vexed
this many a day as I was that you should happen
to make your first call here at such an unlucky
time. It was the only day since I have been here, when
it was really impossible for me to leave the work
I had in hand. If it had been a mere question
of convenience, I should have dropped every thing
and run to see you, whom I had so long been
wishing to see. But I was in extreme distress;
almost crazy, in fact. Owing to some delay, I did
not recieve John's letter until the very night
before he came. I did not expect them so soon;
and as bad luck would have it, I happened to
be out of bread; which is rather an awful circum-
stance when one lives several miles from a baker,
and guests are coming hungry from a long