[Shippen-Eckert, Washington, Penn., Dec. 19, 1837, page 1]

Washington, December 19th 1837

My dear Parents

You see I am going to begin in time for fear I shall not be able to finish this by thursday, as it must leave here on that day if you get it on Chrismas as I wish you to, for judging you by myself I think it will be quite a desirable gift. I can hardly help wishing sometimes that I was with you to spend Christmas, or that you were here for I think aunt and I are going to have rather a dull time of it, next monday, although I anticipate a great deal of pleasure during the week, there is to be no school for a week and I expect to be out, every day or to have company, aunt is going to give the girls a party on friday evening each one of them are to invite one of their friends that will make twenty and Miss Inskip and myself will be four more, I am going to have Mary Ann Hughs, and she is to come in the moring, while Aunt is in school, her and I are going to make the cake. Aunt makes some kind of cake every saturday, last saturday week I made soft, gingerbread and baked it in pans about two inches deep. I think it much better than when it is rolled out, we are going to make it saturday [A]bout making cake that "you know" I like very well, Aunt and I have beeen wishing you would send us a Turkey and some mince pies, but we are invited to dine out next week on roast Turkey and I expect we will have some pies too (I hope so at least).

[continues about friends][end of page 1]

[Shippen-Eckert, Washington, Penn., Dec. 19, 1837, page 2]

[About her plans for the next year]

There is a Mr. Finney here now a great colinizationist from Liberia, going to lecture for two weeks, I expect we will have some warm times as there are a great many abolitionists in this place, for my part I think I will be a colinizationist, or at least not so warm an abolitionist, as some of our folks here for I heard a lady ask last evening why our blacks should not be educated and taken into company with the whites, that she would like to see them taken into our parties. I think thats carrying the joke rather too far, M. Hammel called last evening to take Miss Inskip to hear Mr. Finney and Mr. Rankin of Mercer came for me, but we expected company could not go, but I think I shall attend hereafter and determine what I will be, as I am rather halting between two opinions, Mr. F I hear has made a great many converts in Pittsburgh. I have been reading several books since I came here but only one novel, and that was Kelroy written by Miss Rush, Mrs Dennis from Reading lives here, she was a Miss Reed and is one of the Principal characters in Kelroy, and my being acquainted with her rendered it doubly interesting, as I could see her so much like the description Miss R gives of her. [Continues about Mrs. Dennis' relationship to Eckert family; end of page 2]

[Shippen-Eckert, Washington, Penn., Dec. 19, 1837, page 3]

I must now tell you how I pass my time, at six in the morning the rising bell rings, I spring up and run into the parlour and stir the fire (that is one advantage in having coal fires) and then make my bed and dress, as aunts room and mine is adjoining the parlour we can dress by a good warm fire every morning. at half past six the bell rings and we all collect in the class or collecting room to worship. at seven we breakfast and at eight we walk, untill nine from nine untill half past eleven, I read or sew and prepare my arithmetic lesson, then there is a recess of twenty minutes, then I am in school, until two, then we dine. after dinner we dress and either received or return visits, and if it rains that we cannot go out I read or sew until six then we have tea and then until nine, I spend reading if no person calls and serving if there is, aunt has eleven boarders and expects two more new years she says she did not expect so many the first session.

March is has gone to Grand Gulph, Miss. -- Aunt wrote to him the other [missing word] and also to Aunt Forrester, she gives me her letters to read, she wrote to both [missing word] she was so glad I was with her, as she felt quite deserted until I came, that she liked me very much, that I was very pleasent, and had a kind and affectionate disposition. I would not like her to know I told you this for she might think it makes me vain, which I assure you it has not, many persons here say I look so much like aunt, even when we are together, I always beg them not to make me too vain. Aunt likes house-keeping very much I think her an excellent manager, and very economical, but she talks of going to Washington City in the spring her and Mrs. McCannon. Mr Mc. is a member of congress, but you need not mention this when you write untill I tell you something more about it. [continues about dresses until the end of page 3]

[Shippen-Eckert, Washington, Penn., Dec. 19, 1837, page 4]

I have just come out of school and hasten to finish my letter to send to the office, you cannot accuse me of not writing often, it is just one week since you receive'd a letter from me. Do write me a long long letter and tell me everything, who all has been to see you, and what they said and all about them if you knew how anxious I am to receive a letter when I expect one, I am sure you would oftener, has not Mr. Myers gone to Phila as the convention has adjourn'd to that place, give my love to Mrs. Myers and Mrs. Hoover if they visit you this winter which of course they will, and if the [unclear word; end of first flap] girls do not visit you often, I will be so much offended, that I will not go to see them when I go home at all, give my best love to Miss Eason and tell her I count her among the girls too, my love to all the folks "you know" Mrs. Black Mrs. King. Kiss Ester Anne and Lill a dozen times for me , and tell her she must be a very good little girl. It is now snowing very fast and indeed I am glad to see it altho I do not expect to go sleighing any, but I might too during vacation if there is snow enough, I of course did not get overshoes. Your Aff daughter

Mary G(?) Eckert