December 7, 1845. Ezra Cornell to Mary Ann Cornell: "The duty of the mother outweigh the affections of the wife, that is a heavenly emplanted virtue in the breast of woman. I am bound to make a thousand dollars out of that operation [Ithaca to Auburn telegraph] but this I say to you in confidence and don't want it to go further at present." Topics: Telegraph business correspondence: technical matters, establishment of new lines, patent rights. Personal names: O'Reilly, Henry; Faxton, Theodore; Kendall, Amos; Carter, Samuel P.; Goell, A.C.; Eddy, James; Smith, F.O.J.; Wood, O.S. Geography: New York City