[she was very attentive upon this]; sometimes upon the public entertainments; sometimes amusing each other with the fruits of the different correspondencies we held with persons abroad, with whom we had contracted friendships; sometimes upon the foibles and perfections of our particular friends; sometimes upon our own present and future hopes; sometimes aiming at humour and raillery upon each other.

Yet I lay down my pen, and take it up every ten minutes, in order to write with some tempermy mother too, in and outWhat need I, (she asks me,) lock myself in, if I am only reading past correspondencies?

What need I (she asks me,) lock myself in,** if I am only reading past correspondencies?

There were attempts to pair her off as a twin sister of various correspondencies in age, size, and color, and to palm her off, as a substitute, at migratory, bereaved, overfull breasts.

A secretary was employed, but not so much to do the actual writing as the copying and filing, and at this time Washington complained "that my numerous correspondencies are daily becoming irksome to me."