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Blenheim Nov 16th [1864]

Wednesday night

Well my darling Nina, I reckon you

begin to think it is time I was writing to

you, and answering your last most wel-

come letter so now I will begin. I have

just gotten a letter tonight from darling

Mother telling me that she was sick at

Mrs. [Puleski's?] and I am so delighted to hear

that she is so comfortable, and quite envious of

you when I think of you as with her, while I

am so far off. What pleasant walks you will

have together in the evenings. I am truly de-

lighted that you have her so near you. I am so

glad too you are getting along so much better

with [?] & sincerely hope you may be able to man-

age her. I suppose you have seen my letter to

Mother giving a full account of all the wed-

ding frolic, so I will not repeat any part of

it except to tell you that I certainly lost my

heart with that brown eyed Bolling and

that I think Bartlett would make the

sweetest brother in the world. I have not

heard anything of them since they left but

Uncle Willie comforts me by telling me he

thinks he intends to come back, for he left

his carpet-sack at his house & he wants to know

if I don't want to keep it. I believe I ended

my letter to Mother last Friday, so I will

[Page 2]

only continue my history from there. Fri-

day evening I walked over to old Mr.

[Hurts?] & staid all night with [Sue Hooper?]

who made herself so agreeable that I did

not get back until Saturday night. I found

Mr. Clay had come the evening before & was

still here. Mr. [Venning?] had been here the

night before & Mr. [Kuch?] that morning

but they had left. Sunday we went to church

in the neighborhood, to hear Dr. Hobson

murder one of Bishop Wilmer's sermons. In

the evening Dr. [Wearing?] & Mr. Venning came

to stay all the evening & say goodbye & the

next morning left the county. Now as to my

great friend Mr. Goodman I have not seen

him for a week tho' he does not live half a

mile from here, and at the time the Dr.

went to Richmond he had not been to see

me but once or twice, so begging Mrs. Stuart's

pardon I don't believe the Dr. ever said any such

thing. Belle got that up when she went down in the

cars with him & you. He has been to see me four or

five times since, but I have no idea of hurting

that good man's feeling or he of giving me

an opportunity. Since Sunday we have had

no visitors at all & bid fair to have a very

quiet [winter?]. I am so sorry to hear of Rob String-

fellow's wound and fear if gangrene has set

in that amputation will not be the worst [in-?]

[sult?], go to see him if you can. I am so glad

you find such a pleasant companion in

Mary [?] I always though I should like her bet-

ter than her mother or Bill, please thank her

for the [?] & [? bands] she sent me. I did

not send to her to get my dress. Mrs. H sent to Mrs.

Dr. [Baning?] to get it. I don't find my school at all

handsome, have six scholars, at [$2.00?] for the

day scholars. I don't know exactly what my

salary will be. [7.00?] if I don't get any more

scholars. I return you Mr. John Dupuy's

note, it is a very nice one & I should feel

very much like answering it I think. So

you still think you will go to Pr[ince] Ed[ward] Xmas

I should like much to go too, but we no chance

[cross ways on page 1]

of it, for they have stopped running the stage to the Depot already, the roads are so

bad. I reckon I shall spend it with Fannie very quietly too, for Sallie is de-

clining very rapidly. Have you been to see Fannie yet, you must be sure to go

she is at Mr. [Brudins] corner of 5th / Grace streets and will be there for a

week or two unless Sallie is worse and I am sure you will like her. Ask

Ma if Mrs. [Bidd?] has had that baby yet or what has become of it. [Tell?] too

that she must just knit her jackets straight on the shoulder they don't

require any chapings. I forgot to tell her. Are you not glad our Caval-

ry have done so well in this last fight in the valley, but it makes

me anxious about the boys. I had a letter from Horace about

two weeks ago, he seemed out of spirits & said he never saw so

much drinking in his life. And so you have [sent?] me out with

Mr. John B, never mind wife. Col Pickins sent me word he has

not gotten his gloves yet, but they were in a safe place & he

was coming to see me to thank me, so what do I care for

Mr. John? Well a truce to such nonsense & I must beg you goodbye

with much love to darling Mother & yourself. Your loving sister,

Hattie

[cross ways on page 2]

I am knitting a pair of gloves for Maj Stringfellow, then I am

knitting as a return for Mrs. S's kindness to me, then I knit a

pair for her to send as a present to a soldier for which she is

to pay me 15$ & I have also engaged to knit two pair for other

[persons?] at the same price. What shall I do with my 45 dol.

I have knit three pair for myself & have yarn enough to knit

two more pair. I am going to mail a pair to Custis Lee tomorrow

I just sent my card with them.