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Blenheim December 11th [1864]

Sunday

Dear Nina,

I wrote to Mother by

Tuesday's mail and don't feel as if

I had any thing particular to say

to you this morning, but I have read

until I am tired, so take my [?]

just that I may rest myself a while.

Did ever any body see worse weather

than we have had for the last few

days, snow, rain, & sleet, and now

it is thawing, and as damp and [?]

as possible, I have not been to walk

for some time & feel the need of exer-

cise very much. I was very glad to-

day was not Emanuel Sunday as we

could not possibly have gotten there

and I am afraid we won't get there

much of ever this winter, the roads

are so dreadful, the government wag-

ons cut them up so much. I have not

been to Emanuel now since the first

Sunday in November, and we won't have

[Page 2]

any church on Xmas day as it is Cou-

sin Johns Singular Sunday at his Cum-

berland church. I am glad you are

going to stay a few days with Millie

Lee at Xmas and hope you will have

a pleasant time. You ought to culti-

vate Cousin Laura tucker for she is

a hospitable person & her house is a

pleasant one to stay at. I have never

gotten any letter from Custis Lee ac-

knowledging the receipt of her gloves.

should not have known he had rece-

ved them but for your letter, do you

think he has ever written? I finished

last week the prettiest pair I have knit

yet, I don't know who to send them to, who

would you & Ma suggest. I think if I

knew Col Carter Braxton's direction

I would send them to him, just with

out any name. I finished yesterday a

[net?] of black cotton which I made for

Mrs. Willie Hobson and just a quilling

of black [bridge?] across the front, and the

elastic you sent me in it (half the elastic

was for Mag) which tho' not very good

answered as I could not get any better.

then I made two beautiful bows, one

trimmed with blk bugles which I am

[Page 3]

going to put on a net I want to crotchet

for Sister between now & Xmas & the other

trimmed with [steel?] beads to wear my

self with my steel net. Then I cut out

and half made for myself a pair of

these wide linen cuffs, & by the way

I want you to get me a doz pearl but-

tons to put on them & send them to me

in a letter as I want them to wear

Xmas, I will send you $10 in this

letter to get them with. I don't know

where I shall spend my Xmas, with

Fannie if she sends for me, but if she

does not, I shall have to way of getting

down there, and I have heard nothing

from her on the subject, and poor things

they are in such distress that she may

not think of it. It is well you did not

make any arrangement to come

up there as of course you could not

have come since Sallie's death.

How much holiday will you give Xmas?

I think I shall only take a week, none

of the children seem to care for more

I take two weeks in the spring if it is

only that I may have that time to

[page 4]

fix my summer dresses, as I shall have

a good deal of fixing to do then. I don't

think darling you ought to feel so about

changing your dress, in these times one

has to wear what they have, and the

mourning does not consist in the

dress, we can never forget, or cease

to mourn for our loved ones, while we

remain in this world, and you feel

as much like taking off the dress

now as you ever will. Sister & I will

take ours off in the spring. I hope dear

Father will get down to see you all Xmas.

I feel so glad to think three of you will

be together at any rate and especially

that you will be with darling Mother.

Have you ever made your cloth [gloves?] & did

you get the to fit. I have never seen

the [feather?] flowers dipped in wax but

I should think it would be a great im-

provement. Have you made many since

you went to Dr. P? I have made very

few, only what I wanted to wear at Min-

na's wedding. I am very glad Mildred

gave you a comb, it was very kind in

her. How are you fixing your hair

this winter? And so you think Maj W.

[sideways on page 1]

is a beau of Mary Stewart's. I don't know anything about

it, having never seen them together, but Mrs. Hobson insists

that he is not. Many persons thought him a beau of Bells

when they were up here but I did not, and I did not

think he seemed to be a great admirer of any of the

family except Mr. T, but Mary was not here she may be

an exception too. How did you like him upon further ac-

quaintance? I sent him a pair of gloves the other day as he

was a refugee soldier. I am sorry indeed to hear Edwin

Lee's health is so bad. Will this be his his first child, and you

all never will tell me whether Mrs. Beard ever had that

baby she thought she was expecting when we left. I have

never gotten my watch yet, I gave Mr. W. H. an order

this evening to give to a gentleman who is going to Richmond

[sideways across pages 3 and 4)

this week & promises to call at Mrs. Lions & get it for me. I

miss it so very much. Where did you get bright silk to

trim your dress with and silver buttons, I am afraid

you are getting extravagant. I wrote to Madge as soon

as I received you letter, I think her P.O. is [Kennedy?]

P.O. Brunswick, Co, but I am not quite certain. I am

sorry to hear our Winchester friends are suffering [much?]

but hope the vile yankee dogs will leave the valley [very?]

soon, I see they have been suffering terribly in Loudon &

Fauquier too. Well I think I have written quite a long

letter considering I had nothing to say, and it is cold enough

tonight to freeze a body so I must get warm before I go to

bed, and so will bid you good night. Give much love

to darling Mother and to Aunt Bec & Minnie & all at

Franks. How is Minnie since she went to Richmond? Ask

her if she is not well enough to write to me yet, and is

she doing anything? Give my love too to the family at Gen

Lees, & Cousin Emily. Write soon darling to your loving

Sister Hattie.