Mary Rotch letter to Charity Rotch, New Bedford, 3rd mo 26th 1812

              B-297-5    
My dear sister             New Bedford  3rd mo 26th  1812
	I don t recollect whether my last was dispatched before or
after the receipt of thine informing that your tedious separation
was at last terminated and that thou wast going to share the incon
veniences of Canton   thou wilt however dwell in the town I hope and
not attempt to pitch thy tent in the wilderness   thou canst procure
an easy horse perhaps and ride over among the flock frequently
& receive visits in return from thy TR but take special care that
thou stay not to the endangering of thy health   You can hardly
conceive how animated we became when that letter was handed us
hearing once more the traces of my beloved brothers pen   and
clearly evincing that at that time he was at least in the land of the
living -  Thy account of your meeting & thy great relief from anxiety
was indeed truly comfortable -  Kendal is a pretty name for
your settlement what occasioned you to fix on it? There is
something pleasant in the idea of your being joined by
a few friends so that ere long you can probably have
a meeting nearer than 14 miles   indeed I hope every acct of
your movements & prospects will in future be cheering, but
you can well imagine that your situation during the winter
excited our tender anxiety & affectionate concern, - 
    Thou art not so far distant my dear sister as to render
our concerns indifferent to thee   this I should have known
without those manifestations in thy last letter of sisterly
interest in all that nearly interests us    ere this thou
hast probably recd mine giving a particular acct of our
late examination at the Academy   in regard to thy enquiry
respecting JB I cannot discover any probability thereof   
He is the same pious pilgrim as when you were here, desirous
I believe of doing the whole of his duty, and he is I presume
particularly useful among those of his own profession
who have cultivated his acquaintance   he sometimes tells
me of the satisfaction he finds in conversing with some
individuals on religious subjects, tho  he regrets that
more are not fond of dwelling on such themes.
he is however very careful not to render them obtrusive   
we are daily expecting James Scott for assistant teacher as the school is very full.