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Rome June 10th 1862 Tuesday
Dear Nina,
I received your very welcome letter on Fri
day, and yesterday and was very glad to get them but
in neither did you give me any direction, so I shall
have to guess at this. I am very glad you all are so
nicely fixed, but I do feel as if you had gotten right
far away from poor me. When your first letter came
telling me you had concluded not to come, Willie brought
the letter to my room and laid himself on the bed
while I read it saying, "tell me, Miss Powell, is your
Ma coming?" When I told him no, Maria suggested
that I would cry. Willie's arm was around my neck
in an instant, and his face close up to mine. "Miss
Powell, don't you be so sorry you are staying with
we all." He gets on quite rapidly in learning to read I
think. When I came he did not know near all his
letters, and now he can spell with ease five or six lines
at a lesson of such words as cat, rat, etc. Cousin Mary
Lee is staying here now. She talks as much as ever and
patronizes me extensively, but is very agreeable. Mrs. Tucker's
youngest sister Mary Wilson has been here for the last
ten days, she and I walk, talk, read, and sleep together
and I like her very much. I am very much relieved
to hear George [Adais?] wound is not dangerous, but
very much grieved to hear of Willie Gray's and Mar
shall Barton's death. How did you hear of the latter?
[note to Swem - the bottom of this page has been cut off]
[page 2]
I did not observe Willie Carr's name. Mr. John Tucker
had sent me word Jamie Washington was taken
prisoner, but I was in hopes it was a mistake as I
saw no notice of it in the paper. I have not heard
from Pa for nearly two weeks. I don't know what is
going on in Richmond. Isn't it right hard upon
the people of Winchester that they have to be left again.
Did you ever see so much cold, damp, rainy weather
in your life, it makes me feel wretchedly, I wish it
would clear up. It has been raining hard all day
to-day so much so that I did not go to the school
house, but [?] heard my lessons in my room. Mrs. T is just
getting up from another spell of chills, but you all
must not be uneasy about me, they are not very com
mon things here, and are only brought on by great
imprudence of which Mrs. T is constantly guilty. I
am not. Mrs. T told me the other day I was getting
burnt going to the school house so she gave me a piece
of brown linen, and I have made myself a nice
sun bonnet - [corded?] with black. I am now mak
ing my [thin?] dress, have about half done it, but it
don't look to me as if we should have any weather
warm enough to wear it. I think yours is very pretty
and will be much more useful than mine. I don't
know how I can stand the fleas here all summer, I
am nearly devoured, bitten as only I can be bitten. I
believe, and I think soon there will be nothing left
of me. I have not been anywhere except to church
and once to Cousin [?] [Castlemans?] since I have been
here but feel no inclination to do so. Mary and myself
have however promised to ride over to Mrs. Baird's
some evening this week. My principal occupation
out of the house is gathering roses to feed the deer.
[Hand writing perpendicular on page 1]
Write and tell me how
you like your new
home, occupation, etc.
Will Mother stay with
you or what [while?] she
[?]. I wish the battle near
Richmond was over.
Write me if you hear
any thing from Char
ley, or from Winches
ter. Cousin Mary sends
her love to you all.
Write soon to your
attached sister.
Hattie L. Powell
The deer had twins
last night, but one
of them died. It is
the prettiest little
spotted thing you
ever saw.
