From Elizabeth Smith Shaw Peabody to William Smith Shaw, October 1809
Friday morn— [Oct. 1809]
My Dear Son,
I am going to Quincy with your Sister this forenoon—& shall be in Town on monday A—M—to attend Mr Stewart—I feel an anxiety respecting the price, your affection for me, may exceed the bounds of your circumstances, & that makes me regret that it was ever thought of—Mr Stewart was very polite, appeard sensible, & entertaining, but I did not say a word to him about the price, as you desired me not to—but I hope you have, I suppose he has different prices, let mine be among the lesser—I have no ambition but that it should be expresive of my benevolence to Creation, & my maternal affection for my beloved Children—for these are sentiments which ever glow in my Bosom & I hope illumine my countenance—But I felt so dissagreeably to set down to be looked at, & to look up in a Strangers Face, that I fear little of my true lineaments will be seen—
I intend seeing Dr Tufts, & hope to get some assistance to defray this enormous expence—
The Cotton I got for you last year was intended for winter Shirts—If you wish to have finer, for Summer your Sister will make them up this winter, for <Another> warm Season—
May heaven bless, & prosper you my dear Son, is the wish of your very affectionate Mother—
E— P—
Mr Fosters hand is much the same, he is patient as possible a man could be—
DLC: Shaw Family Papers.