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The tidings brought me by your last kind letter were
truly painful, but were ordered in the one case, & permitted in
the other, by an all-wise Providence for good; & I trust that we
will be properly exercised thereby. How uncertain are the promises
we make ourselves for the future! How little we know today of
what tomorrow will bring! Oh! how necessary, how all important to
feel continually our utter helplessness, & lean upon the strong
arm of God for succour & support to bear & we should, the troubles
& afflictions incident to our pilgrimage here.
I rejoice with you in Edward's reinstatement; & earnestly
hope that he may never be placed in similar circumstances again,
Tho' the motives which prompted him to act were highly honourable
& praiseworthy-to act thus under the most favourable circumstances
brings upon one's friends feelings of pain and anxiety, & for the
future I hope, I pray he may be saved from all such scenes. With
my love tell him I congratulate him upon the final result of his
troubles & hope that eventually all will prove to his good.
Poor Tom-his fate was a sad one. I dont know why you had
never told me so; but I was under the impression that he was still
able to render service in the dining room, & was not prepared to
hoar of his death. But he has gone the way of all flesh, & we
would fain hope to a brighter better world than this.
I feel greatly concerned about Mother. I have not heard
from her for three weeks. Why 'tis so I cant account-they may have
written & the letters are lying in an office somewhere. If the morning
mail brings me no letter from them I will certainly write by
the daily mail.
We are all alone. Miss Sherman left two weeks ago for her
home, Uncle William's daughters a week after, & on friday before
Christmas Brother, Miss Jones, our relations, & Maria left for
Buckingham. (Fannie has been out there some weeks). Pa has been
from home the greater portion of the time for the last week, &
there is so much quiet that this scarcely feels like home. I must
say however that I have enjoyed it, tho' 'twould have been more
pleasant & profitable too if the family had been more together.
'Tis a time I think that calls for praise & thanksgiving, & ought
to be a religious, rather than a mirthful jubilee.
The children have both had dreadful colds, but are better
of them now. Ma thinks Lucy has worms-she has been on the verge of
delirium several times, all of a sudden, & she thinks worms must
have caused it. We have given her calomel, but I dont think it has
any effect in that way yet. The rest of us are in usual health. I
am still suffering in my old way-sometimes scarcely able to be up
tho' I am looking to be in common health.
Addie speaks of goingover the mountains soon to spend a
week & Minnie I think will go with her. She is anxious to see her
Grandma, & I have given my consent for her to go. If she does I
cannot visit you before she comes back. I cant say exactly when;
but I judge about the first of February.
Addie & Ma wish to be remembered kindly to you. My love to
Brother, Mr. Broadus, Maria, Mr. Smith & Mary, Rose & all of the
boys. Kiss Lida & all of the little ones. Lucy is asleep, but Minnie
is up & sends Lida, Anna, Eliza, Rosa & yourself love & kisses.
To Bobbie she wishes you to say that she is going down to see him
soon & thinks they will make a very nice little class in studying
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