Mahala, 4 January, 1764
My Dearest Etta, Matthew and Caroline,
How delighted we are to receive new window panes. We now boast of sunshine in all of Mahala's rooms. I am pleased to report the cleaning is complete and we enjoy more reading, sewing and excitement while awaiting Sarah's new arrival.
Caleb never tires of the repairs and Uriah bestows on us more gifts than we have ever imagined. I dearly love the splendid grandfather clock he purchased for our assembly room. John thrives very well at Mahala and little Adam keeps him entertained. Elizabeth helps the other children with their studies and I must confess I am greatly relieved. I feared the task might fall on me. My particular talents, we have yet to discover.
How you will laugh when I report our new acquaintance. Of a morning, we heard the ringing of bells and rushed outside to see. There, before our very eyes, sat Abraham Cook. Rather tall and sparse in his appearance, he had long brown hair and a beard which nearly touched the leather of his belt. He rode astride an unsightly mule he calls Helen, leading another named Tillie. It was to Tillie, he tied the bells. She was piled high with wares to sell and atop the wares lay Mister Cook's bagpipes. And my dears . . . Mister Cook was fast asleep. The truth be told, I thought him dead. He awoke with such a start it frightened us all. And his fear increased when he found he had wondered onto the Baron's property. Shouting and kicking wildly, he determined to leave straight away. But Helen would not. She sat down instead and dumped poor Mister Cook on the ground. He was unharmed. He has come to call twice more, yet refuses to enter the house for fear the Baron lurks. And on his visit last, he was persuaded to play his pipes. How glorious it was to hear the pipes again.
