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[Sideways at the top]

You will think

this a poor re-

turn for your

agreeable letter

but I will

pay in

talking

when I come.

Prestwood June 13th 1863

Saturday Morning

Dear Nina,

I have already written quite a

long letter to Cousin M. Lee, and you know

one letter is almost as much as I can stand at

a time; but if I don't write today I fear I shall

be tempted to put it off again. I am glad you are

having a pleasant time and hope before very

long now to be with you. I should prefer not

breaking up my school until the middle of

July but Mrs. Tucker seems to have got her heart

set upon vacations beginning the first so I [suppose?]

[?] I shall have to do it, but I will not come

over to P.E. before the middle. I had a very press-

ing invitation from Cousin M Castleman yester-

day by letter to come over and pay her a visit, and

if I can get there, I think I shall go for a

week. If not I shall just stay here spending a few

days perhaps at Mr. Atkinsons, thought I don't

feel at all inclined to go any where. I took a walk

yesterday evening however with Mrs. Tucker [over?]

to one of the neighbors, the first visit I have paid

for a long time. All our strawberries are gone, but

we are [still?] eating cherries, just as many as I

[Page 2]

can eat. I have been having great trouble with my

chickens lately; I put out 45 a short time ago, and

they have died down to 32, and I don't know what

is the matter with them. I was so sorry to see in the paper

a few days ago that [Kennedy?] [Grogan] had been killed

in Western VA. and Mr. R.H. [?] severely wounded.

I have not heard a word from Willie [Hull?] yet - nor

from Willie McGuire though I wrote to him just

before Stoneman's Raid. Tell Mother I wish she

would write me a letter to write to Mrs. Booker

when I come over the middle of next week. I real-

ly don't know how to write it. If Ma is not there ask Sis. Just think in

another month I shall see you all. I just got a letter from

Pa on Friday, from which I see he has not been

able to get board for Ma, so I hope she will be there

too. Won't [Mr. Redd?] board us all for a month?

Mrs. T. got very hard pushed for a dress to put on when

Mr. Broadnax was here last week and I exchanged

with her, but her [?] my colored calico, another

is to get me a new black one next week when

Johnnie goes through Petersburg. I have nothing

at all to tell you of any interest so I might as

well stop. I am perfectly well. Give much love to

all. Cousin Dick sends his love.

Ever your loving Sister Hattie