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Eliza Lambert encourages Sally Galt to visit Richmond. She tells of the death of William Harrison and the grief of his wife, Caroline.

to write this [scrible] that I [scarly] know what I have written. You must guess at what you don't understand, Sister and the [Sallys?] send much love the little one will [ ] good by darling Sally EGL

                            Richmond Sep 22
                                         1865

My Dearest Sally

        I could not find it in my heart

to let Mary go to Wmsburg without letting you hear from me. She goes rather unexpectedly as she told last week she should [defer] her return untill the last of October. She seems uncertain whether she will remain in W or return to Ashland. She seems more desirous of doing the latter. She is coming down this evening when we shall hear all about her plans - poor Mr. Harrison died last week after a lingering illness for ten days. He was expected every hour to die and prayed anxiously for it. He leaves an afflicted and distressed family poor dear Caroline is a deep mourner and it will be a long time if ever she recovers from it. She will stay in Richmond until October and her

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house a small one which Mr. H intended hearafter to be for the Overseer [ ] four rooms one of them to be occupied by the Overseer and his wife poor thing I don't know where she will [stow?] them all and hardly any thing to begin housekeeping with. It is very painful to us all to be able to do nothing but sympathise with her. She has undergone so much anxiety & fatigue with loss of rest that he told her he wished her to go to B. Harrisons and in that neigh borhood, and stay untill October and a frost but I do not think she would in her deep grief like to be so much in society as she necessarily would be there so I do not know what are her arrangements John and {Arty?] have both been very sick with chills & fever contracted at River side. They are up the country with their Aunt Eliza [Page] I send you down my dear Sally the sum of $4 which I was afraid

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you would spend if you took it with you "for you know you can't be trusted with money." but as this good opportunity occurs of Marys going down and October is almost here I thought I might entrust it to your care for a week or two." We all hold you to your promise of coming up then. All your friends the Williams [ ] [ ] and two many others to enumerate continually enquire after you & wish to know when you are coming again. Mr. Dixon says love to Sally and tell her we hail her coming with much pleasure and shouts of Joy" [ ] too is very [ ] in her enquiries and sends her love. She seemed much gratified at your remembrance of her, it is needless dearest Sally for me to repeat what you must feel how happy it will make us all to have you again with us. It is always sunshine when you are with us not the glare that

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hurts my poor eyes so much but the wholesome mild influence which gives life and energy to say nothing of pleasure to the physical [frame?] to produce such an effect you must or cannot [repose?] besides the poor [ ] is languishing to be [ ] and often accumulated [waters] and the [new?] broom dejected because so much neglected by us all so you see the incentive to come. I don't think Mary will stay very long so that you will have a good opportunity with her so you have no excuse. Let me know in your next when you will come - the Generals room is not yet occupied but we hope to get [ ] members of the legislature if no one comes sooner. It is almost dark and my paper admonishes me it is time to stop after telling I hope I am getting better of my [ ] sickness I have had so short a time

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