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Blenheim Sep 29th 1864

Thursday night

Dear Nina. Mr. & Mrs. Stewart start tomorrow so I must

write you a little letter, I received your long promised let-

ter only on Wednesday which days mail also brought me

the first line I had had from Sis and the first from Ma

since the morning you left, not a word have I heard

from Pa yet. I am so glad darling you like your new

home so much & I hope you will have a happy time

there. You must not let the [L's?] prejudice you against

the P's or any other people in your neighborhood, The [L's?]

are very nice people particularly Mr P & Mary but they think

so much of themselves & their family that they are disposed

to think little of and laugh at every one else, that seems

to be the fault of the family, I only guard you against it which

it need not prevent you from enjoying all that is good in them

and there certainly is a great deal. Now about the questions

you ask, I got my bundles safely by Mr. L's carriage which ar-

rived yesterday, but oh Nina I do not like my dress at all, it

is so common looking, and is not purple at all to my eye but

a regular blue, don't tell Sister but I think I shall try to sell it

again, & Mrs. L says she is sure she can get me a much hand-

somer one for the same price that in shopping in Richmond

now there is everything in knowing where to go. You can take

the money of mine Mollie has. I shall not want it, but I

think if I were you I would not trim the skirt of my dress as

it is not to be your [?] but you see it takes three braids to [?]

round the skirt once, & it will not look well I reckon without

three rows that would be 9 which at $5.00 will be 45$ just for the

skirt, but you can judge better by the case you have for the dress.

I send you a collar & handkerchief to use this winter you will have

to do them up, & use the handkerchief very carefully, also a stick

of glue Sis got me two. I did think of sending you some [feathers?]

for flowers, but since Cousin David is going to bring you

some I suppose my poor ones would not be welcome, Now

look here my lady love you need not be trying to cut me out,

for if you got either him or my Millie I will certainly

[Page 2]

put a spider in your dumpling. Don't you know Cousin David

asked me if he might write to me well not a word have I heard

from him yet & begin to think he has consoled himself entirely for

my absence for going to see the Dupuys. Ah but now comes the in-

teresting subject. Willie, Willie, have you seen him, he promised so

faithfully to go to see you while he was in R & my peace of mind

has been very much disturbed today by the thought that perhaps

you were talking to him now & I could not see him. If he has been

to see you, you must write me every word he said & every look

he gave. Oh if you were only here I could tell you so much of my

Willie [? times] & I do believe Nina from something he said that

he is going to write to me too, I am crazy to get the letter, & am

very much afraid I shall answer it. I must tell you what

a pleasant ride I had last Saturday evening on Willie's beau-

tiful army horse. Mrs. H. Mattie & I were out taking a walk when

Willie overtook us, he asked me if I would not get on his horse

and ride & Mrs. H insisted upon it, so I slipped off my indian [?]

[?] put my foot in his hand (I was so glad I had on my gaiters)

and jumped up left him to walk with Mrs. H & carry my in-

dians while I took a charming ride. He came next morning to

go to church with me but we had gone & he did not over take us

until we got nearly to the church. Monday morning he came to say

goodbye & told me he was coming to see me after the war no mat-

ter where I was, but oh then men are so fickle there is no trust-

ing them. And oh Nina I think he is very curious upon the subject

of religion. I gave him four gospels, I wished very much I had had

a testament at the time, but I hadn't & he said he would rather

I should give him those & not wait & he promised me that he

would read them attentively, I asked him to promise me he

would pray but he said he could not promise he was not good

enough, bless his dear heart if he only was a christian. Tell me how

his moustash (I don't know how to spell it, I must look) looks, for that

belongs to me. But a truce to nonsense. Are you not grieved to

hear [Landy?] Pendleton is mortally wounded, poor fellow, & his

poor Father, Mother, Sisters, & wife I do feel most deeply for them.

I went over to Mrs. Willie Hobsons this evening had a very pleasant

little visit & plenty of grapes, they have a house full of sick

soldiers. I must say goodnight. Write soon to your loving

Sister Hattie & don't forget to tell her all about Willie's [?]

as yourself.

[sideways at the top]

you had

better burn

this. It rained

so this

morning

I thought

Mrs. T

would not go

and

Maggie

put the

collar etc

in [sack?] to

do up for

you, so I can

send them

this time

but will

[?] [?]