Washington Decr 24th 1821.Dear Samuel,

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Owing I suppose to the badness of the traveling, which at this season of the year often retards the mails, your letter of the 13th did not arrive until this day, it ought to have come to hand yesterday or the day before. I therefore postponed writing to you until this day in hopesof hearing from home. I am extremely sorry to learn by it that your old complaint, the rheumatism, still continues to afflict you; I hope, and cannot help believing, that, when the weather shall have become more steady and uniform, you will be relieved from it. It gives me some consolation to know that the family are as well as when I left home, I did hope to hear that your Mama was improving in her health; but at the same time I was that it might become worse. I hope that Hannah Paddock will be prevailed upon to spend part of her time at least at our house. I believe it would be a great comfort to your Mama, [          ]

Your letters have come regularly once a week & I wish you to continue writing as you have begun - you need be under [   ] no apprehension, that any thing you write will prove uninteresting to me. I see nothing by your letters, but that every thing relating to the business of the family, farm &c goes on well. It seems that Mr Folman has left the store, and William P. has taken charge of it. I am sorry for Folman - for I can think of no business which he can engage in at present, by which he can support his family. And as it respects William, if he only [       ] this winter, it may

be some advantage to him, which I fear would not be the case if he should [     ] next summer. But of this he must be the judge, not I. I have written every week, and have sent you the Intelligencer, which I hope you will regularly receive. Last week I included to you in two letters $150. with directions how to dispose of the same - thsese letters I hope will arrive safe. I have, since I have been here written how to proceed in all matters and affairs that I wished you to attend to, so far as they have occurred to my recollection. If these letters arrive safe I have no doubt but that what I have asked will be attended to. There has nothing of much importance been yet done in Congress. Tomorrow is Christmas, and congress will not meet for business. Next week is assigned to the discussion of the Bankrupt bill, which will very likely bring out the legal talent of the House, and will probably take up two or three weeks. I shall send on to you such documents as I shall consider will be interesting - w hich are not in the Intelligencer.

Give my love to your Mama, and inform her that she is constantly held in remembrance by me, & that I shall writer to her next week. My love also to mary tell her I shall expect a letter from her once in two or three weeks. Remember me also to Charles & Mary S.

Mr S P Crafts

I am with sentiments of affection YoursSamuel C Crafts