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Jan. 1-11
Mr. Coffman comes back on the 3rd of January. He, Sue and I had some of the old hymns in the sitting room after supper. He has many stories to tell us of his camp life. Opens his school on Monday, for scholars has Uncle Bob's and brother Jim's children and William Black; some others are expected. Jabe leaves early this morning (5th) for Leesburg ....Poor little Sis, it seems a harder trial this time than ever ....No church....Sue says good bye for home on Monday ....Sally is duly installed housekeeper this week. Sister Mary is not so well and brother Jim is poorly again so we have quite a blue household. A wedding on the carpet. Alice and Jimmy [Lewis.] The latter tells us about it Sunday but he has not asked the old ones yet. Our sympathies are much excited this week by the receipt of a letter from cousin Laurie Vaughan to brother Jim telling him she was again a widow. The town in which she lived, Occola, was burnt to ashes and her husband shot down in the streets and she, her step daughter and a daughter of brother Sam's who was living with her were obliged to fly to Fayetteville, Arkansas from which place she writes telling him they are there without friends, money or means and asks that he will send her the means to get here or else to Holly Springs. Wants him to keep Lydia Minor [brother Sam Minor's daughter] until she can be sent to her father; says there is no communication between the place in which she is now and Pike County [Missouri, where Lydia's father lives]. It is indeed a sad case and one which we have no right not to respond to for in these times of war and desolation we, none of us, know how soon we too may be needing the charities of this cold world. Brother Jim sends her the required aids through a friend of his in Memphis, Mr. Royster. I write to cousin Laurie to stay where she is until the money reaches her as there was of necessity some delay in sending it off as he had to hear from cousin John Thomas in Richmond .... Well the wooing has sped bravely. Jimmy and Alice are to be married Saturday morning and he goes off to the wars again. Sally and I dine with the Pegrams this week; have a good dinner and a pleasant day. The Creek people to visit us. The evening before the wedding (Friday) Sally, Lizzie and I spend at Castalia where we have a merry time. Quite a number of young friends of Alice's to see the last of her. Saturday morning as soon as Mr. Boyden could be got there, they were married. Mr. Boyden made the service as short as possible and he blundred surprisingly little for him. They did not have a ring. Such a liberty, I think, with our beautiful service but Jimmy said the town of Charlottesville did not offer one that he was satisfied with. After the ceremony breakfast came on; then a large cake was cut up and then they were off to the Depot to say goodbye to Jimmy. Poor fellow, I felt sorry for him, but he knew all before he took unto himself a wife. Said he did not expect any of his comrades would believe him when he told them he left a wife at home but the wedding cake he carried would prove it. How events have crowded themselves in this week; a death, a wedding and aching hearts. Ah, well, such is this life, dark and bright. My dear brother seems worse again. Don't believe he has any hope for himself. [He] seems to be making every arrangement considering his wordly affairs, literally setting his house in order. All his thoughts seem to turn on dying and so truly does he know in whom he believes that the King of Terrors seems to have no terrors for him but oh the aching hearts he shall leave behind. May God in his mercy spare me now this bitter cup but if so it seemeth good in His sight not mine but thy will be done.
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