“Yesterday morning Sarah (Mrs. Porter) started to go up to see her, not having seen her since the affair of the mob; but a cutter from Phillipsville whipped by her, and when she had got near the house, the cutter came back bringing Elder King, who told her that they thought it advisable to request her not to go to his house—­that, in a word, they were determined to prevent all communication between our family and Mary.  Sarah came back.  In the meantime, a man came to see me—­Mr. Case—­to tell me that I must not go to Elder King’s—­that I could not go there without getting hurt.  In fact, I had been that morning to Fulton early, to see the Editor of ‘The Patriot;’ while I was going through the street, a lot of rowdies gathered together and yelled after me.  The explanation is easy.  When I came from Syracuse, the story went that I was plotting to get Mary off.  And I can hardly forgive Elder King for putting the sanction upon this falsity, by excluding us from his house.  That act of Elder King gave the multitude full swing.  They have now full liberty to mob me; and last night I came very near getting into their hands.  About sunset they came over headed by Hibbard, and while stopping at the tavern on the way—­this side of the bridge—­a man whipped up to Watson’s on horseback, and gave me the wink.  George Gilbert was at our room, (a lucky chance) and so I got under the buffalo, and Sarah sat on the seat, and so we rode down straight by them, and thus foiled them again.  To-day I went back—­packed up, and put my trunks in a neighbor’s house, and then came down here with Sarah and Libbie.  Thus it is. Mary—­God help her—­is in prison,—­that is, she is guarded. Elder King has consented to just such arrangements as Mrs. King and Hibbard and some of the heartless, officious aristocrats of the village saw fit to propose.  It cannot be helped.  Mary will doubtless be used well, corporally—­but oh, the torment of being confined with such despicable companions.  I trust she will be brave; though I did hear yesterday morning that she was somewhat indisposed and was abed.  Her eyes are inflamed.

“I left the vicinity not altogether out of personal fear, but because I knew that my presence kept up the excitement.  Allen, it is impossible for you to conceive what a convulsion this village of Fulton has been thrown into.  A regular siege and cannonading could hardly have raised a greater muss.

“Write to me soon.  Enclose to G. Gilbert on the outside wrapper.  I dared not send from Phillipsville yesterday.

“Keep cool; and do not blame Elder King more than you can help, for I expect he is forced into some things.  How much he is to be forgiven on account of the dilemma into which he has got himself, let time decide.  I do not wish to make his case worse.

“Yours in friendship,
“JOHN C. PORTER.”

[The italics and parentheses of the above letter are mine.  I shall add no comment.]