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Infirmary August 24

My Dear Nan

I have been wanting to write to you ever since the receipt of your kind & affectionate letter for which I thank you much. We had letters from Cousin Matt & Mat- -sey the [struck-through] a day or so ago in which he makes some mention of Cousin Lewis & I know you are anx- -ious to hear any thing however trivial about him. I will get the letter & see exactly what it is before I finish. Julia came to see me the other day. She is out of a home D[octo]r Hargrove having moved to Charlotte Co[unty] [Virginia?]. She & her two children are staying at Cousin Jesse’s. He was here yesterday evening & said he was going to make Nannie write to you & tell you but when I said I was going to write he desired me to tell you she was there & he w[oul]d do his best to get her a home – though it was very difficult. She told him she wanted [?] [struck-through] cotton cloth to make under clothes. She had good enough out side [...as?]

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I have cut off her curls though her hair still waves. She is less good looking than she was last sum =mer. She is smart & bright though and mighty sweet I asked her what I must tell you. She says “tell aunt Nan to let [?] come over here in the little carriage – “ I am truly sorry to hear of dear little Charley be ing so poorly though I hope he is over the worst of it. Kiss them [Note: Continues on Pg2 marginalia]

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Since writing this I had a letter from Charles last night in which he tells me they had let =ters from Cousin Matt enclosing one to you from cousin Lewis & I hope you have got it be =fore this. I regretted after writing to you a =bout the ribbon for on considering the exchange of money it will bring it up so [?] [?] =ly I will have to do without it. So if you have not yet [struck-through] already written you must not but if you have don’t trouble yourself a

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bout ^ let to go so. You know we have to pay $12 of our for one of gold now & it is increasing

                         Nan

I thank you indeed my dear ^ for your kind offer of the flannel & dress. They’ll be most acceptable as you may imagine but I am only afraid you’ll be disfurnish =ing yourself. Cousin Anne & her [struck-through] Cousin Mar =tha both got boxes & I was about to tell you what they gave me out the them & desisted because I was afraid you would think I was hinting to you. Cousin Martha knew of the gauzy condition of my flannel petticoats last winter for they actually tore open in

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all three for me & give much love to Jane & Mary Lew- -is & Delia Sally sends her love to Delia & kind regards to “Miss Nan” Did any one tell you of Mac’s being taken prisoner & confined in the old Capital prison for [Note: continues on Pg3 marginalia]

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front so I had to patch them – so she sent me flannel enough to make two petticoats & a pair of gloves buttons & sewing silk. I don’t remem[ber] whether I ever told you of Mrs. DeJarnette bring ing a trunk from Washington [DC] last winter for Cousin Martha Betty & Me. They were black goods principally & linen & cotton for cousin M[artha]. a good many things for Betty & all that was for me was my double wrapper which I was charmed to get one calico dress & some handkerchiefs for C[harles] & me & some sewing material. These latter were not marked to either of us but as they were in just the quantities I had l [struck-through] ordered through Cousin Bet last summer I laid claim to them. Afterwards finding cousin M[artha] had got no silk to sew her black & no sewing materials I shared them with her. Cousin B[et] did not send me to[struck-through] any of the things I wrote for except those I mentioned, & after hearing the trunk was for me & presuming of course they were Charles’ everlasting winter clothes & various things from “home” you may ima gine how disappointed I was. Cousin Ann gave me 4 pairs of excellent stockings & some tape white

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3 weeks & his dear aunts from G. T. coming to see him. You would have laughed at his ac= =count of them He could not see any of Cousin Bet’s people but she sent him a great many nice clothes All send love Believe me ever your affection ate sister S[ally] F. M[aury. Charles was up a week ago & much pleased at our new ar -angements

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& Bl[ac]k thread. Cousin Matt sent them all bl[ac]k to put on; they had not intended before to wear it. I asked cousin Lucy about your yarn she said at first she knew I could not get it in the neighbourhood & I was afraid she would not be able to spare any as the mills were broken where she al- =ways had her wool carded – since that she told me she heard they were mended & might be able to let you have some. She said something about being glad to exchange yarn for any thing you might have to spare out of the box. I am going to send Willy to town to school & the flannel shirts will be a great comfort to him & to me too. I am very anx ious to put him to a good school. They say there are no good schools here but I got Thompson to speak to the teacher & try & interest him in Willy. Bein[g] the only man of the establishment he is a great help to us all in doing things for us. Cousin Jesse let us have a cow between us & tell Willy I wish he could see Walker keeping the calf & cow a =part while Sally milks he has hold of the calfs tail with one hand & a switch in the other be labouring her & often to his Grand ma’s horror comes straight to the table without washing his hand. He is laid up now with a sore foot & he & little Lucy are sitting on the little bed shelling peas,

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