1836 March 19, Haverford, to Dear Mother, Philadelphia

              Haverford 3 month 19th 18367th day morningDear MotherAs Brother Frank is not inclined to write this morning, I will take his place, although it was but yesterday that I wrote to father- But perhaps you think as we do, that we cannot hear from you too often. Father says in his letter that you "were afraid from my long silence that something more interesting than home had claimed my attention." in the first place, I believe that I have not been guilty of any long silence, for I have written every two weeks in my turn, and if you have not recieved them it is the mail's fault- in the second what could he suppose that I was engaged in more interesting than Home, I wonder what he could have been thinking about when he was writing, to put such an idea into his head- After having been absent from home for 5 months- from a spot so dear to every one- "just to think" of such a thing as that.We see by the papers that the river is broken up so that the Algonquin although she was to sail as soon as the river was clear will do so at her usual time (the 20th)- The ground is already appearing and the boys are taking advantage of it, for they are now engaged in a game of ball, which they have not had an opportunity of doing for some time.Could not you manage to bring Anna out to see us? How pleased we should be to see her, I need not tell. With love to Sisters Mary and Anna and to all the rest "at our house at home" and at No 36 also. I amAffectionately thy sonThomas P. Cope Jr.