University of Virginia Library

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I feel quite impatient to see you again although I do
not suffer so much from loneliness as when you were in Baltimore,
as Mama sleeps in the same room with me and I am in company all day.
We got here in good time for dinner Wednesday and have been getting
on very well so far, notwithstanding the trouble Eliza gives me for
she does trouble me not a little. She has a hard cry every time
she leaves me to go to Emma, who has been nursing her a good deal,
but it is not the same thing as when Martha is with me to take the
entire burden from me. Thursday I went to the Green Mountain Church
and heard the first sermon before the Convocation, preached by Mr.
Meade. As none of the people had come prepared to stay, there was
no second service, but yesterday we went and stayed all day. Mr.
Ernest preached in the morning what would have been an excellent
sermon without the notes, but his appeals to the sinner and the ungodly
fell rather flat on the ear, read from the paper before him.
What a difference it does make surely! Please don't ever think for
a moment of abandoning your present mode for any other. Reading
won't answer, I am certain. Mr. Boyden in the afternoon gave us a
discourse or rather a reading upon Heaven and its delights to the
righteous, which seemed to me very tame. This morning Mr. Slack is
to hold forth and this afternoon Mr. Meade. Whether rightly or not
I cannot tell, but I have concluded to stay at home to-day. I thought
two days out of the three would do for me, as I take but little interest
and find but little profit, besides having a great deal of
work to do and its being very fatiguing to stay in Church such a
length of time on a very hot day. In justice to myself I must say
however that none of these excuses would keep me away if I considered
it my duty to go, if it were either my church or yours that was
holding the meeting. Mama counted 28 people at the afternoon service
yesterday!!

I am anxious to hear how you succeeded and hope you
found time to write. Mama heard from home yesterday and that made
me feel still more anxious for my letter to come. Poor Mr. Courtenay
he has his lot of affliction surely, but under the circumstances the
death of the little children can hardly be regarded otherwise than
as a merciful providence. I suppose by the time you get this letter,
Bob will be almost over the Measles. Papa wrote that he was completely
covered with the eruption & doing very well. I am afraid Mary
has had a hard time nursing him, as he seemed very much opposed to
staying in the house the day we came away.

I think you may expect us certainly to dinner Wednesday
as Mama is anxious to go then and I shall not interpose the slightest
objection. Aunt Maria said she expected to stay till Friday or Saturday,
but I think she will let us go without making it seem like
treating her badly. When I mentioned my having a great deal of work
to do and little time to do it in, she said she intended to give me
some help in preparing and that I must send out some work. A kind
offer, but I must say I am not fond of receiving help where I have
no way of returning the favor. Tell me what you think of it.

George Rives came home yesterday and Dr. Bramham arrived

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Next week Aunt Maria talks of taking me to return
the visit Mrs. Moon paid me when I was here summer before last,
and I reckon it would not amiss in me to ask for Miss Sanford
too. She might like to see the wife of one whom she loves and
admires and I should like to see her, especially as she might
feel hurt if I should not make any inquiry about her. I am
sorry there is to be no preaching Sunday as I dislike to have
to stay at home all day with only nursing as an occupation.
Another thing that I am sorry for is that I forgot to bring any
stamps & will have to charge the letter to Aunt Maria I reckon,
as she says I must and does not keep stamps.

I might read a good deal more than I do if Lida would
sleep in the morning, but she wakes up almost as soon as I do
and of course I can do but little at that hour of the day or
indeed any other as long as Martha is sick. Papa wrote that he
had not seen her but believed she was better. I hope indeed she
will be well when I get back. I wish I could write more and
better, but I feel quite destitute of ideas this morning and
shall have to stop.

With love to all the family in which Mama and Aunt
Maria unite