Leicester, March 16

My Dear Sarah,

I think Mrs. Nelson has replied to your letter to her (she sent to me for your address) and I hope she will have told you how very much she was gratified with it. I went in there the next morning after she rec. it & she begged me to read it aloud to her & her husband she having read it by candle light—I did so greatly to my own satisfaction as well as theirs and I am sure you would have felt repaid for the time & strength spent upon it could you have looked in upon us. Pray don’t have any misgivings about your usefulness to us or any wish to give up. I am sure the heartfelt interest you take in your work & your affectionate labors for these poor people are the strongest guarantee to us that all we can do for them through a teacher is done beautifully by you. It is a great thing to have these laborers at a distance brought into such an intimate knowledge of the daily lives of these poor, long-neglected beings & you cannot do better than let us hear from them in their own simple, earnest words.

Tomorrow a barrel will go from the Society here filled with flannel & blankets. 106 yards of flannel & 6 blankets. We thought the former could be made into covering for beds & shoulders too & as the season advances you will not need the heavier coverings. Buttons, thread a few combs &tc you will find also & the making up I hope will find employment for many hands.

I sincerely hope the plan for industrial [?] will soon be brought about the moment the way seems clear. John sees no reason why Factories should not be builder & the labor used in the region when it grows as well as in distant ones.

Our hearts are all light with the hope that fighting draws to an end.

I heard from Phil. a day or two ago of both you & Lucy in Washington & I was delighted that you should have the rest and recreation as I trust it will prove. Sarah Wall may be with you when this reaches you and perhaps will return with you to Norfolk. She wrote [?] she wanted to go there before she came home. Give my best to her & tell her to be sure & write to me as soon as she gets back to Worcester so that I may try to see her.

You have heard perhaps of a very successful Fair we have had for the Soldiers & Freedmen. $2600 the result. A large delegation came from Worcester & cheered us with their presence and their greenbacks. Your brother & his wife & innumerable cousins. I received $689 in answer to letters written to past residents & emigrants from Leicester with letters full of good cheer. Ever so much love to Lucy—kindest remembrance to all of your household Mrs. Gordon, Miss Chase &tc. Asa joins in [?] and good will—most affectionately yrs–

Sarah R. May

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