Miriam Berry Whitcher Speaks Her Mind [ 39 ] "Ol" said I "you'd scarcely know him now, he's got a wig and wears spectacles, which improves his appearance vastly!' "Well, I should think it need improvin'" she said.32 When the widow discovered, however, that in the interim Elder Sniffles had lost his wife, she changed her tune. Upon learning that he had suffered an attack of influenza, she wrote him a letter: O, Elder Sniffles, I feel as if I couldent part with you, no how. I'm so interested in your preachin! and it's had such a wonderful attendency to subdew my prejudices aginst your denomination, and has sot me a considerin whether or no I wa'n't in the wrong.33 These trends reflected the transitional nature of religious institutions in mid nineteenth century New York. In towns like Whitesboro, and particularly Elmira, trade, industry, travel, communication, and economic prosperity had spurred population growth and created new civic frameworks that could not be encompassed by church organizations. Caught up in this transition, the Whitchers often experienced frustration with their parish work. In spite of their most sincere and dedicated efforts to maintain a strong and vital church, they complained that their parishioners were more concerned with momentary pleasures and revelry than with sober and tempered living. In a letter to her sister, Miriam remarked, What a terrible time you have had with the smallpox at Whitesboro! They say there are several cases here, but I do not know whether it is so. It seems to create no panic. In fact, I do'nt think the people here would be seriously alarmed at any epidemic unless it should be something that affected the toes, and interfered with dancing. I never heard of such a dancing community. There are two or three balls every week. There was one on Saturday night at the Eagle tavern. The first people of the village were there, & several gentlemen got so tipsey they had to be carried to bed. Thank heaven—they were none of our church members. But all denominations go it. Baptists, presbyterians, episcopalians & nobodies—all kick up their heels together in one promiscuous fandango. I hope they'll get through before Lent.34 Although she was married to a minister, Miriam herself bordered on being a skeptic. The year before her marriage, she had formally left Mr. Long's Presbyterian church and joined Mr. Green's Episcopal a2Ibid., 102-03. a3Ibid., 136. 34 M. Whitcher to sister, February 3,1848.