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Blenheim February 7th

Sunday night

My darling Nina,

I am by no means sure

that I ought not to be in bed instead

of sitting up here writing to you, but I am

afraid if I don't begin tonight I shall

not have my letter ready for the mail

tomorrow. I received your two welcome

letters and also the book for all of which

many thanks. There are a good many

books here and I could borrow plenty, but

I have scarcely read a book since I have

been here. I have been so busy with my

gloves (of which I have knit 10 pair) my

chemises, school, writing, and being sick my-

self, but I shall be glad to get something

to read now. I have gotten almost as well and

fat as usual. I came up from Mr. Har-

ris's on Sunday last and since that time

this is the 12th letter I have written, so you

will have to make many excuses for it.

My hair has not yet shown any signs

of coming out & Dr. Hobson does not

think it will, says it was not [real?] ty-

phoid fever I had but catarrhal

with strong typhoid symptoms, but if

it should show any signs of doing so

[Page 2]

I shall certainly have it shaved imme-

diately, and tell Lizzie when I do try

the experiment I shall certainly try

it well, have it shaved three times back-

wards and will let her know whether

I succeed in getting curls. You and

Lizzie must have a pleasant time to-

gether reading and talking, but you

have never told me who Lizzie is &

how old is she. I thought up to this

time she was the little child you

were teaching. You ask me who I liked

best of all the people I saw at Mr. Harris's

well I certainly liked Fannie the best.

She is as [sweet?] and lovely a girl as I have ever

met with and I love her dearly. She is com-

ing up soon to stay some with me. Of the

gentlemen I liked Willie Blackford de-

cidedly the best, though I liked Capt Har-

ris very much too, he is considered by all

his relations as the sweetest fellow in the

world but somehow he & I did not get along.

I found him very hard to talk to. The eldest

brother Nelson is too conceited & egotistical

to be very agreeable, but the third brother

Adam who came just before I left & who

is just 21 is the handsomest smartest fellow

you ever did see. Then there was Mr [Finney?]

who was very amusing, Mr. Harrison who

[Page 3]

was very odd & Mr. Kennon (Lord Nor-

wood) who is immensley wealthy; Fannie

writes me that the last mentioned in-

dividual had been over since I left

and had had the audacity to tell her that

he had fallen in love with me, but I have

never seen any evidence of it, he must have

been romancing like some of our other

friends do. Tell Lettie with my love she need

not inquire what talking of going to Pow-

hatan means. Wait until [he?] goes, tis my

opinion Powhatan will never [use?] him. He

never talks of what he really means to do.

I am so glad you have a balmoral** it

was indeed kind in Mrs. Booker to send

it to you, but how did she get it to you. I

have not heard from any of them since

soon after Xmas, but wrote to Horace

last week. All the Powhatan troop are

at home too, but have the itch most

dreadfully. I am so glad the P.E. boys are

at home, I did not see any of them as

they passed. How is your cold, I felt anxious

about it. Do Nina take care of yourself don't

let these coughs get such a hold on you as

they have on me, it only needs care, and you

will wish you had if you don't. Not that I

have any now. As to [?] I am much

obliged to you for your offer, I don't believe

[Page 4]

I have any, but I have never worn a white

collar since Brother died & at any rate I

could not undertake to wear them here in the

country where I see so few people. I should

be very badly off for collars but that [Norvell?]

gave me a beautiful crape one for a Xmas

gift. I wrote to [Rouss?] and cousin E last week about

the cotton & hope to hear from them soon, I

told Rouss to put the cotton up if he had it

and send it to "Jeter & Harris" commission

merchants there, & they would send it to me by

wagon & I asked Cousin E to call and pay him

for it, & spend the rest of the 20 dol in paper &

send it with the cotton. I also wrote to Mother

and asked her to get me the [worth of the money?]

Frank had of [?] in {?]. I am obliged to

have some handkerchiefs, & send it in the same

bundle. Just please tell me again who

Johns Janney is engaged to, I could

not make the name out. I must

close now with much love to Lizzie.

I enclose you some letters, send [?]

to Sister & Aunt [?] to Ma. Write

soon to your loving sister

HLP

• • a balmoral was a petticoat