29, 1837.
"I am sure you will have thought me very remiss in not sending my
promised letter long before now; but I have a sufficient and very
melancholy excuse in an accident that befell our old faithful Tabby, a
few days after my return home. She was gone out into the village on
some errand, when, as she was descending the steep street, her foot
slipped on the ice, and she fell; it was dark, and no one saw her
mischance, till after a time her groans attracted the attention of a
passer-by. She was lifted up and carried into the druggist's near;
and, after the examination, it was discovered that she had completely
shattered and dislocated one leg. Unfortunately, the fracture could
not be set till six o'clock the next morning, as no surgeon was to be
had before that time, and she now lies at our house in a very doubtful
and dangerous state. Of course we are all exceedingly distressed at
the circumstance, for she was like one of our own family. Since the
event we have been almost without assistance--a person has dropped in
now and then to do the drudgery, but we have as yet been able to
procure no regular servant; and consequently, the whole work of the
house, as well as the additional duty of nursing Tabby, falls on
ourselves. Under these circumstances I dare not press your visit
here, at least until she is pronounced out of danger; it would be too
selfish of me.
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