Wednesday Octber 31st Highdleburg-Penn-

We pass'd through Reading yesterday which is one of the largest & prettiest towns I have seen-We stopt about 2 hours in the town, & I improved my time in walking about to see it- I went into the stores enquiring for a scissor case- Almost every one could talk english- but I believe the greatest part of them were dutch people- As soon as we left Reading, we cross'd the Schuylkill- It was not deeper than the Lehi, & we rode thro' it in our waggon. A bridge was begun over it, but the man broke & was unable to finish it- It would have been an excellent one had it been completed- It is now grown over with grass & serves as a walk for the ladies—— We put up for the night at Leonard Shaver's tavern-He is a dutchman, but has one of the most agreeable women for his wife I have seen in this State-I was extremely tir'd when we stopt, & went immediately to bed after tea- & for the first time for a long while, undress'd me & had a comfortable nights rest- We are oblig'd to sleep every & any way- at most of the inns now—— My companions were all disturb'd by the waggoners who put up here & were all night in the room below us, eating, drinking, talking, laughing & swearing- Poor M^r W- was so disturb'd that he is not well this morning, & what is more unpleasant to us, is not good natur'd, & M^rs W has been urging him this half hour, to eat some breakfast- he would only answer "I shan't eat any"-but at length swallow'd some in sullen silence- but is in a different way preparing to ride— If I were going to be married I would give my intended, a gentle emetic, or some such thing to see how he would bear being sick a little- for I could not coax a husband as I would a child, only because he was a little sick & a great deal cross- I trust I shall never have the trial- I am sure I should never bear it with temper & patience. M^r W is I believe a very pious good man, but not naturally pleasant temper'd- religion however, has corrected it in a great degree, but not wholly overcome it- M^rs W- is an amiable sweet temper'd woman, as I ever saw; the more I know her, the better I love her- Susan is a charming girl-but Erastus is rather an obstinate boy- he feels superiour to his father & every one else, in wisdom—M^rs Jackson is a clever woman I believe, but I have a prejudice against her which I cannot overcome- She is very inquisitive and very communicative- She resembles Moll Lyman or rather crazy Moll of Northampton in her looks- She has considerable property & feels it very sensibly- Her youngest son is almost eighteen & has his wife with him, who is not quite as old- They have been married 2 months, & are a most loving couple- I cannot help thinking whenever I see them together, of "love I Sophia?" &c— Her name is Eliza & his, John— The other son is a very obliging but not a very polish'd young man- I like them all better than at first——