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Richmond

August 4th, 1863

Dear Hattie,

Your letter of the 1st inst

reached me a few hours since, and I

lay aside other pressing duties to answer

it without delay. It gives me such plea

sure to hear from my relatives as well as

to see them. Your Father spent an hour or

two with us last Saturday. I was rejoiced

to see him in such apparent good health,

and to find that with God's help, he has

been enabled, like myself, to bear up under

the painful [dispensations?] [His?] wisdom has

called him to endure. I trust the same

[resignation?] has been [?] your

dear Mother, your sisters, and yourself.

As regards the subject of your letter, I

am sorry I cannot write more favor

ably. We are not keeping house alone.

but [are?] [numbers?] of a [mess?]. Each indi

vidual in the [house?] paying from one

[Page 2]

hundred to one hundred and fifty dollars

per month. No member of the house is permitted

a guest. This restriction we should feel

more if we had a spare room. We have

none, except an attic room, a play place

for Mrs. Davis' little boy, which is too hot

to sleep in. You do not ask my advice

dear Hattie, but really it seems to me

unwise to accept any position in Rich

mond that yields only a hundred dollars

a month, as it is rarely indeed, that re

specatble board can be obtained for

a less sum. Washing is three dollars per

dozen, and most of the Laundresses object

to take it except by teh dozen.