Miss Burnham recounts a journey from Utica to the Shaker Village of New Lebanon, enroute home to New York, relating one of the hazards of travel at the time, a bad case of food poisoning:

 

“Dear Mother,

 

Monday night at Lebanon. You think I suppose ‘tis time we were home – that we are wending our course towards that peaceful spot this will tell. We have just got snugly fixed at Lebanon, to remain, how long, I can’t tell as it depends chiefly on the condition of our invalid who has somewhat recovered since Saturday-

We left Utica after a trip to Trenton, on Friday noon and on Saturday morning, on board of one of the Canal packets for our breakfast was placed before us a quantity of tempting corn – Pa imprudently eat of it, what he suffered he can best tell. He was taken at Schenectady with violent pain in his stomach not so bad though, but that we started for Troy and after stopping at several of the village Doctor’s and taking vast quantities of laudanum, peppermint & medicine no 6, he made out to reach that place but in the most excruciating agony and not a little alarmed. We immediately put him to bed and in the course of five minutes had a couple of Physicians administering their opiates, cathartics, and the like, which in three or four hours somewhat allayed his distress - We were all horridly frightened, for he was bad, bad. But don’t let this frighten you to death ‘tis all over now & he is bright as ever, going to enjoy the fun here a little, perhaps a day or two & then come home. … We have had a most elegant time so far, only wish Hal or some of you  had been along. I went to church Sunday to hear Mr. Butler, but was disappointed, the good old man was out of town, nevertheless, as a consolation the familiar phiz of his son Clement greeted my two longing eyes as I entered the door – glad I was to see a soul I knew. After speering about awhile I found French in another corner and these two Trojans have contributed much to my happiness comfort & well being – they are kindness and politeness, dear youths – This morning we went out to the Cahoes Falls under their special guidance & called on some friends of Hartford memory living at Lansingburgh – the Miss Stewarts found Sarah Brownell there had a frolic and came away … The physicians all tell Father to keep moving and eat sparingly – we have evident proofs that this jaunting about is truly beneficial – Could you have seen him before this attack you would have been utterly astonished, not only at his improvement in good looks and strength, but in spirits and activity. He would walk sometimes a mile or two, quite as nimble as myself & without feeling much fatigue and nothing like a spasm. You would have been amazed to have seen him clambering, tugging and pulling himself up those rocks at Trenton Falls, but the doses they gave him at Troy have much weakened him and taken from him the rich brown hue and rosy tint that he gained at Lake George inhaling the pure mountain air. By the way Ma that is the most exquisite spot on earth, ‘tis charming, would that my descriptive genius could give you some faint idea of a little heaven upon earth, only waiting to be peopled by some of us choice spirits … You are a lover of mature, of bright and beautiful things, Ma, so this is the place where you might indulge and never tire … Saratoga was death to me the little while we were there, too heartless, I don’t like a throng – didn’t know anyone and there’s no feeling so near desolation as that of being alone in a crowd. T’would amuse for an hour or so – to witness the folly, fashion and flirtation going on, but then one worries and sickens of it …”