The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-08-11
A NEW LETTER OF HAwrHoRNE's.
Addressed to Zachariah Burohman, Who
Was Associated with Him in the Salem
Custon-iIouse

addressed TO LAcharfah 1SHrChinan, VINO
Was Associated with Him in the Salem
Custom-iiouse
Published in the Boston Saturday Gazette
LENoX, June 9. 1850.
Dear Zach-I received your letter in due
season, and should have answered it before,
but have Just got settled in my new resi-
dence, and hardly that Besides, had a cold
that confined me to my chamber for several
days. Since my recovery l have planted
vegetables enough to supply all Salem, if [
could only bring them to market. l am we'll
pleased with my situation; have already GOT
a good tan on my face, and expect to -four
ish The children keep out all day, and are
as brown as berries My wife, on whose
shoulders | kindly shifted all the trouble of
arranging the house. will doubtless be vety
comfortable when she gets over her fatigue
My house is an old, red farmhouse (as red
as The Scarlet Letter'). q story and a half
high; NOT very splendid in its outward aspect,
but snug and comfortable, and with space
enough for all our occasions 1t is about
mile and half from the village, whittier
have not been since my arrival Neither
have | seen single newspaper Except an
anti-slavery paper) since the day | lett
Boston, and know no more of what is goi,.g
on in the world than if | had emigrated "a
the moon. / find il very agreeable to get rid
of politics and the rest of the damnabe tur-
moil that has disturbed me for three or four
years past; but must plead guilty to some
few hanRerings after brandy and water rum
and molasses an occasional sugar. and other
civilized lndulgences OF the like nature.
BY the by have met with one uncXpect-
ed piece of good luck Sending to Pittslie1d,
few days ago, for package we expected by
railroad, the expressman brought back
strange looking box that had come by wav
of Albany. On examination it was found Ia
contain champagne of IirSt-rate brand, and
mad been sent by the same unknown friend
yhn I hali fatH flo Lou. 4
my 81 900 a few months ago. If YOU come
TO see us this summer You will probably find
a few bottles LETT. All other LIQUOR (excent
water) you must bring with you, unless
P should send me a case of gin, accord.
ing to promise. For my own part | would
rather have gin than champagne, as being
both whOlesomer and more agreeable. Wa lie
on this subject permit me to express hope
that you will be as abstinent from choice as
| am from necessity. Hadn't we better make
a mutual pledge not to drink Il glass OF spirit.
until we meet AGAIN? Awful | don't be.
lieve You will agree to it, nor stick to it il
you do. As for myself, l could not break
the pledge if | wished, liquor being quite
unattainable,
/ hope and believe that you will yet live
to acknowledge p 10 be true man, as
far as regards his conduct toward you and
me. If false, he is certainly the most con
summate hypocrite that ever lived put fiji
C-s should not shake my confidence in
him, unless by circumstantial and other evil
dence better than ms own word
P has a real affection for Won. and ]
trust you will not do or say anything that NAV
make it impossible for you to be friends
hereafter. He is certainly not Il frank and
candid man like yourself, but | uphold him
to be incapable of treachery to his friends.
P has not written to me
While think of it, l should like to have
you ask c. whether. short time after 1
tnd he
posed to either of the two Ms to engage
in a plot TO get me removed. As it is now
merely matter of curiosity. he WILL perhaps,
have no objection to telling the truth about
it. The assigned reason was either that 1
declined to assist in getting him an office, or
that | opposed his being put on appraising
jobs. Do ask him about ii; and tell him, too,
that whether true or not have occasionally
the same kind Of haukering for him that |
have for brandy and water and cigar.
The devil take the N impudence. The true
and only reason for my sending him book
was that he made pair of snow-shovels for
my children last winter and refused to take
any payment Judging him by his own rule,
| have no doubt be intended them as bride
TO secure my influence for reinStatirg him in
the measurer's Office; but l beg you to assure
him that l shall make no claim on his good
Office III my behalf, great man as he may
think himself My only object was to az
knowledge, in the way of my trade. a kind
ness he had done me in the way OF his
Your letter is tirst-rate, and heartily hope
you will continue the correspondence, when
ever you have leisure and inclination, with
out waiting for response on my part. That
story of the shrimps is too good; and whether
or no your information ABOUT W comes
entirely from your own brain. il corresponds
SO well with his character that ] can't help
believing it.
need not say that it would give me sin.
cere pleasure to see YOU here The bn,ehnr
comes three times week, SO that YOU need
not dread starvation; and in six weeks or so
l shall have an overflow OF vegetables Give
my best regards to Mrs BUrchmore. and
with my congratulations on your escals
from the custom house l remain truly yours,
NAruI II lWruO&N..