Letter addressed from Philadelphia, with a stamped postmark including the date. The paper is torn and stained with red wax residue where it was sealed. William Gay Butler writes to his father Jonathan Butler in West Hartford about his business since leaving home. He got in to Philadelphia Saturday evening after being out in the country seven weeks and in the city two weeks before that. They brought in $1700 worth of goods, had $600 worth in the city, and purchased another $5000, making $7300 in all. He sold $400 worth of goods brought from Connecticut. He carried out $3300 worth and Hiram Roberts took the other $3600, making very large heavy loads. He writes that Hiram Roberts bought his goods on credit, not having brought enough money to cover such a large load, and would have been able to buy more but it was all they could carry. They had an excellent assortment of goods and their route had a great many peddlers, though money is scarce. For the first week out his brown or Burr mare hindered him two days, so he traded her for a large bay horse and paid the difference. The next day was rainy so he did not move his wagon, but the day after drove 22 miles and broke the tires on two wheels of his wagon. The repairs took him another day, so he lost four days off the first week, which was a little discouraging. The next week he started anew and had no trouble for the next four weeks though the last two were rather dull. William includes an accounting of the excursion: $2250 in sales, $300 in profits, $100 in expenses, clearing $200. He cleared $20 on the goods from Connecticut he sold in Philadelphia, which amount is to be split between him and Jonathan. Hiram Roberts sold $2500, cleared all expenses, and made $225, "so he did not beat me as much as I expected." William writes that goods are cheap and they can always get short credit in the city, so they plan to purchase another $5000 or $6000 worth of goods for the next excursion. His horses performed well and he traveled more than 600 miles since leaving the city, averaging 15 miles a day and more than $50 traded each day, discounting the stormy days. William writes that he has no means of private conveyance at the moment, so will have to delay sending home the handkerchiefs, spectacles, etc, but should have an opportunity next time he is in town. He sold his Turnpike Drafts for $160 and received six months of interest, making $166. He used some of this amount when trading horses and will send the rest to Hiram Roberts. He has no written agreement yet with Hiram Roberts for this season, but says they have confidence in each other and will draw up an agreement if needed. William writes that he received a letter from his sister Maria Butler on returning to Philadelphia, informing him that Jonathan and William's brother George Butler had been out to Wilkes Barre, Kingston, and Franklin Township to see their brother Epaphras Butler, though they were not able to convince him to come home. Russel Wells told him they were not very pleased with the country there, as William expected. He received a letter from Harlow Cadwell of January 1, answering his of December 10, informing him that he and his business were well. William writes that he will be in the city for two weeks and then out on another trip for seven weeks, then back to the city, where he would like to find a letter from home.
