[page 1]
Sunday Morn Aug. 11th
My Dear Lou.
Wearily have the
hours passed since you left
us. but how happy am
I that I can still think
of you and address to
you words of love and
friendship. We have [no ?]
church to-day so as usual
I pass the day in
answering letters. some of
which are pleasant - others
irksome. I suppose you
are annihilating time
most delightfully. but I
[page 2]
can assure you it is not
so with us in this part
of the country. however
for my own share I
am "taking life easy."
by reading, eating, sleeping
and a little sewing
occasionally.
Grannie is quite
well again but she still
looks very pale. as well
as myself. however we
imagine it is very inter-
esting and in this way
we comfort ourselves.
Your Aunt Celia
(Mrs. Rice ?]) is very ill.
(Inflamation of the stomach)
She was preparing to
go to [Galledega ?] Springs
and I suppose ate impru-
dently and was taken
[page 3]
very sick - but she has
the undivided attentions of
Drs. Merriwether and Fitzpatrick
as well as of many kind
and anxious friends. and
I hope she may recover.
[Granny ?] and Sallie are
very much frightened perhaps
unneccesarily. yet she is
really very ill.
I think that
every one else in the
neighborhood is well.
Mr. Littlepage [Nina ?] &
[Colt ?] are in fine health
but he is much oppres-
sed in spirits on account
of losing his patch
and claim He is truly
unfortunate is he not!
Miss [Keene ?]
has a very pleasant young
lady staying with her.
[page 4]
Her name is [May Gannis ?]
and myself called on
her on Thursday - She plays
and sings well but
is very homely. Miss
Dillard is still at Dr.
[illegible] Mrs. Dillard is
there also. She [will ?] not
take a trip to New York
as she expected. Mr.
Dillard is going without
her. How soon will you
return. I wish you would
come [soon ?] your mother is
very anxious that you should
come. She is very lonely
without you. When you
write tell me when you
can come I am glad to
hear from Phil that you
are enjoying yourself
but I think you might
[page 5]
[written sideways at top of page 1]
curtail your plea-
ures a week
or so. and return
to shed the light
of your contenance
upon your friends
How is Betsy?
Give my love to
her. and tell her
I am dying to see
her. and Cousin
Bennet. how is he
I have come to the
conclusion that he
is decidedly a dan-
[page 6]
[written sideways across page 4]
gerous young man for he has [left ?] [most ?]
assuredly a deep wound in my heart that
no one can heal not [illegible] a physician.
Present to him if you please my kind regards.
I had the exquisite pleasure yesterday of seeing
Mr. [Grimes ?] He is very [illegible] The Old Doc
has returned from Virginia I think [illegible]
you left but he has [come ?] [illegible] a
[wife ?] as [usual ?] Good bye all send
love. and accept the affectionate
regards of your [best friend ?]
Julia [Gordon ?]