Dec. 28th. The Weser is now completely frozen over, so that people are driving on it in coaches. I believe one could skate as far as Vegesack, which is five hours by the Weser. In the afternoon all the beau monde goes for walks on it and the ladies slide on the ice so as to be lifted off by the gentlemen, which always gives them great pleasure.  Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire  The trees look as if they were made of snow, they are so thickly covered with a white crust. — The Pastor’s wife [Mathilde Treviranus] has embroidered a black, red and gold purse for me for Christmas and Marie [Treviranus] has made me a black, red and gold tassel for my pipe, which is smashing. Today we have 9 degrees below freezing-point, what a life! I like nothing better than this cold, ineffective sun which rises over the winter-hard earth. No clouds in the sky, no dirt on the earth, everything as hard and solid as steel and diamond. The air is not so flabby and consumptive as in summer, you feel it now when you go out of doors. The whole town is full of glaciers, people no longer walk, they fall from one street into the other. Now one can’t help noticing that it is winter. I hope that in Mannheim, among other useful accomplishments, you will also learn to skate, so that you don’t come home a shivering, stay-at-home, not-to-be-moved-out-of-doors little lady, which I refuse to stand for. But if you do arrive afraid of the cold I shall tie you on a sleigh, put a burning sponge in the horses’ cars and chase you like that out into the open. Or I'll tie skates under you and carry you out to the middle of the pond and leave you to crawl on your own.  Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire

My very dear sister, if my hopes are not disappointed you will get this letter on New Year’s Day. On this holiday, greatly looked forward to by me and you too, I imagine, I wish you everything you desire, since this wish costs me nothing, and hope that your wishes for me will be at least equally Christian. May Mannheim be as much to your liking in the New Year as, to judge by your letters, it was in the old. (This I write in case this letter has first to be censored before it comes into your hands.)  Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire