1880 Letter from a middle-aged woman to her friend about her widower boy-toy & bachelor crush

Postmark from Alta, NY, addressed to Mts. Harriet Jacques, Little Genesee, Allegany Co NY. The letter isn't actually signed--she's run out of space after stuffing the margins, leaving off on a somber note about placing flowers at her father's grave ("not a year have I missed before...")

The bulk of her letter is bouncy and irreverent, with tales of a widower who's "dead in love" with her ("he's got it bad") and the bachelor she rather fancies, in part because it makes the widower jealous, and he's "just OK" looking, but it's "a mere flirtation nothing serious." Likely older than her gossipy tone suggests and possibly a widow herself, she writes, "six long years have I lived as you might say without any pleasure what ever and do you blame me for having a little amusement if I can." She also mentions, "Jen wrote me that Linda was as fat as a bear, guess she is going through this time," possibly a reference to menopause given the woman's suspected age.

She finally inquires after her friend's illness, referencing a previous cancer and some kind of discharge: "don’t mention another cancer God knows you have had your share but what should be the cause of this is more than I know. Think while it is open and discharges may be the best thing for it." Back to focusing on herself, she suggests if her friend goes to the infirmary, her widower might take her to visit.

Bifolium, 8 x 5 inches. With an unrelated second letter to the same recipient returning an excess sum paid by her husband (and detailing the math).

Full transcription
with standardization & emphasis in bold

Altay May 30th 1880
Sunday Morning
My dear afflicted friend,
Your kind letter reached me in due time and should have been answered sooner, but I am [just drove?] and can hardly take time to write my friends any letters. Do not think that it is household cares or hard work that is [driveing?] me it is not but seeing that I never keep any of my secrets from you must tell you am having any amount of fun. There is an old widower dead in love with me. Then there is a Bach that I think is pretty nice and he seems to think I am and he takes me around considerable and that makes the widower jealous and but don’t

(2)
we have fun. I don’t care a show for the widower but he has got it bad He has been walking here for the past three weeks and boards with us. Guess he has had something to say of my good qualities to everyone for miles around little does he know how much fun I make of him, but then truly the Bach is rather nice his name is Simonson a well to do farmer and just okay looking takes me to parties and riding home from church &c, just a mere flirtation nothing serious.
But it is all in a lifetime what is the use six long years have I lived as you might say without any pleasure what ever and do you blame me for having a little amusement if I can, it makes fun for Mrs. Prentiss and me we nearly laugh our selfs to death That old widower is too comical for any use

(3) now perhaps it would be as well for me to change the subject and write something that will be of interest to you. am sorry to hear you are so sad sadly afflicted why must it be so. don’t mention another cancer God knows you have had your share but what should be the cause of this is more than I know
Think while it is open and discharges may be the best thing for it but of course that cannot always [sort?] what the [consequences?] Then may be we cannot tell.
Hope you may be much better ere this reaches you, but if you fear for the worst, don’t let it run too long, but go out to the infirmary and see what the Dr says. They will do everything they can for you.
To be sure you would miss [?] but maybe my widower would bring me out while you

(4)
was there. I knew you had not forgotten me, but felt fearful something was the matter with you have had very pleasant times since I came home from Canandaigua, yes. Yes, I hear from [Canisteo] once in a great while, had a letter from Jen Harry’s wife Friday begging of me to come and live with her. She offered me every inducement, but could not go at present [forcibly?] Mrs. Prentice nor the widower could not spare me
Have not heard from home in a long time, but Jen wrote me that Linda was as fat as a bear, guess she is going through this time  yes, the house is fixed up nice no mistake.

(upper margin 4)
I go to church every Sunday morning, but it rained hard today so did not go but hope it will be pleasant by Eve Mrs. P is quite comfortable but the hot day [tells?] on her My health is very good. The mind flows like anything.

(upper margin 1)
Shall hope to hear from you before very long and that you are better with much love from your loving [son?] Oh how I should love to be at home long enough to place some flowers on my dear father‘s grave for [decoration] Not a year have I missed before