From Jane Mecom (unpublished)
Boston Nov. 11. 1788
My Dear Brother

I am uneasey when I do not hear from you often but all I have heard Lately I think give me Reason to fear yr Health is Declining and that you Suffer’d Depression on yr Spirits, and I know you must Feel Greatly to have it Perciveable by bystanders, O that I could mitigate yr Pains or greafs, but in Steed of being able to do that, I and mine have allways been a grat cause of care and troble to you tho Blessed be God you have never discovered any thing but the Pleasure of doing good, and Heaven has Blessd you in the deed, tho you Suffer what is the Lott of all men in a grater or Lessor Degree Pains and Sickness, the conciousnes of the Rectitude of the motives of all yr Actions Booth for Priviat and Publick Benifitt will Soport your Hope for a more Blessed State to all Eternity where my Dear Brother we Shall meet, tho may it be yet many years before you are calld off this Stage in Favour to the Inhabitants, who will gratly mis you when Ever that time comes. You dont know how it Refreshes me when I hear you are chearfull, Mr Cushing has not been to see me as I understood by Mr Williams you Desired Him, and Prehaps that is the Reason because he left you Ill with the Goute, I hope it Soon left you and you have Recovered yr Former chearfullnes.

I fear you have not Recved two Leters a wrot you Since the date of your Last by couzen John Williams dated Sept 16 throw the hands of Mr John Rodgers of New York won containd a Billet from Mrs Walker Desiering me to Inform you of Several thing which I thought best to Send in her own words, tho I feard it was Somthing Presuming in me as well as her I was unwilling to Refuse her as She is a widdow and destitute. In the other I congratulated you on the Increece of yr Family and the Health and Happines they Injoy, I hope it continues, and to let yo know I had Drawn a Bill on you for my wood before John Williams came Home and so had no ocation to take it of him, if those Leters came to your hand be so good as to let me know it when it is convenant for you.

I Sopose you See our Newspapers where you See how fond our People are to Say Something of Dr Franklin I beleve mostly to do him Honour but some chuse to Embelish the Languge to there own fancy the Storey of the French man with the Pocker was a good Story when you tould it but it apears to me there was none of your D—n you Souls in it. What we had in the Last of yr Present to the Accadimy was truly Honourable Like your Self and Rejoices the hart of every good Person. O that our all Bountifull Benifactor would give you Ease as well as Such Noblenes of Mind.

We have at Length got a Mase house which the Roman catholicks asembled Last Sabath, the Preist has married a Butifull young Garl the only child of her mother a widdow to French man Mr Nancreene who Some Say has a wife in Philadelphia the Poor Garl did not understand a word the Preist Said but Nancreene told her He would cut his Throt if She did not comply.

Excuse my writing you Such Stuff I Sopose it is but litle more than you have to have[?] with in all my Leters tho writen from a hart full of Sincear Gratitude of your Affectionate Sister

Jane Mecom

I write this to go by the Paquitt William Daaggett
Addressed: Dr Franklin
Endorsed: My Sister Nov. 1788
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