University of Virginia Library

Miss Kate Armentrout, Greenville, Augusta County, Virginia

Recd. your kind epistle on the 16th ult, & take occasion to inform you that I am in very good spirits now, for I have but one more week to teach school, & thought I would respond before I would leave the neighborhood.

Glad to hear that conjugal affairs are prospering on the river, as you had one wedding. But as it is leap year, I suppose the ladies claim a right, which they ought to exercise, & I hope will if they are not too bashful, so as to be defeated in their schemes.

I hope you all on the River will manifest the willingness of your tastes, in effecting the quadrennial privilege, so allowed to the fair sex, ha ha! Well I must retract my foolishness, & let leap-year do its work, for it will be now hard to tell where I'll be at its end.

I spent my holydays pretty much at home; was at a Taffy Boiling at Mr. Rowan's had a splendid time; which was the amit of my sport.

And so your imagination was struck with Mr. Jacob Pinkerton, at the Western Fair in Greenville. So you intend to take every gray horse & watch & I expect setting your cap for some Old Gray headed Bachelor too.

What sort of time did you have on Valentine night? There was a terrible dry time over this side, I have not seen a valentine, let alone a drawing.

Did you all look for me to come to your Lyceum, on last week? I saw Mr. Munroe the day Sunday previous, & intimated as though I might be over. He was over to see his lady love. I do wonder if he is courting that young lady. I had no invitation to the party.

I expect to retire from the scene of action, & return home perhaps this day week, where I expect to abide awhile.

Kiss Mollie for me, because she is such a pest.

I heard the Miss Armentrouts in Staunton spoken of not long since, by the Miss Misels over in the bounds of Hebron Church. Ask your brother John if he knows them. You must not mind any of my foolishness, for you can easily tell, I have not much news to write.