.MzQz.NDky

New York 28 Novr 1862

My dear friend

I mean to use that word friend in its real strong sense, for I have a sincere affection for you, & it has been a great pleasure to me that we have had a renewal of intercourse. I have been longer silent than I intended to be when I received your last letter, with its melancholy details of the desolation of that which once was the garden spot of Virginia. I some- times think I should like to sleep until peace. I fear our friends the Coxes have been suffering lately from a conflict in the immediate vicinity of their estate perhaps actually upon it. I know nothing but from the newspapers. If I should hear anything reliable I will let you know. – (We were talking much of you within a week. Mr. & Mrs. James Bayard & their daughter Florence, now Mrs Lockwood, came to New York to spend three days at Dr. Bayard’s. Mrs. Wilson, formerly Mary Christie, accompanied them to spend the same length of time at my brother Matthew’s. We had a tea drinking, & of course talked of our mutual friends, of whom you were one of the chief. Mrs. Wilson beg ged me to remember her particularly to you when I wrote. She looks well & seems to have pleasure in the quiet country life she leads. Mrs. James Bayard is growing stout. She weighs more than she ever did in her life. –

You will be glad to hear that Miss Bayards

                                pupils

school flourishes. She has as many as she desires to have

Good, dear, old Mrs. Gilpin is remarkably well. She spent the summer at Cornwall on the North River about 12 miles above West Point. The air agreed with her, &

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Jefferson is Captain of a vessel going to Central America I believe he is in N.Y. at this time I think my brother wrote to you himself, about your money matters. Mrs & Miss Gilpin send much love)

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I think she is in better health than she had been for two years past. Her daughter in law Mrs. Richard stayed with them at Cornwall for 2 or 3 weeks, in the autumn. She had three of her little children with her. Richard is now here with the other two. Mrs. Gilpin will not attempt to go to Philadelphia again, so her son & her daughter in law, & the five grand child ren are obliged to come & see her.

Yesterday was Thanksgiving Day & we all dined at Matthew’s. Sarah, my niece, who lives with me, & Mary, also my niece – Matthew’s daughter, played two duetts on the Piano very respectably. Sarah has a sweet voice & sings agreea- bly, but she had purposely (bad girl) not taken any notes with her to Matthew’s.

Saturday 29 Novr – I fell sleepy at this stage of my letter last night, & you will not be surprised, for it was after midnight. – But I had so often thought of you & intended to write that though after ½ past 11 when I left my brother to go to bed I would not retire without at least beginning a letter, & there I should make sure of proceeding with it. – I feel really ashamed that I should have been so unjust to myself as to be so long without writing to you, allowing you to suppose that I was unmindful of you. We have had a long visit from my niece Harriet from St Louis with her four children & nurse. Before she left us her sister in law who had been visiting relatives in Pennsyl- vania joined her at this house. You will believe that with so full a house, the mistress thereof was very much occupied. Besides the domestic affairs, I undertook to knit various little shirts & little stockings for my grandchildren, & socks for one expected. In one week the family was reduced to my brother & myself.

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ten[underlined] having left us. Mytton returned to his Theological studies at Middletown I wish you knew him. He is so earnest in the life to which he has devoted him self. He will be a learned[underlined] clergyman I am quite sure, & an earnest sincere messenger to preach the Gospel, but whether he will have the gift to of oratory I know not. He is aware himself of the importance of reading well & being able to speak on occasion without preparation. In a se- cret letter he tells me he is improving. He was called upon to address the poor people at the Alms House. He was only applied to at 10 min past 12 & he had to be with them at 1 – Very short time for preparation. He did very well accor- ding to the report of those who listened to him, as critics, & not for instruction. The poor people themselves were very attentive, & decidedly interested. I am hoping he may be a shining light to lead many into the straight & narrow path. – This is a digression – excuse it. I was going on to say had he went the same week with Harriet & [Co?] William also, who had lately come from England went to Washington, calling at Birdsboro for 2 or 3 days by the way. – Sarah went to her sick friend at Darien & Walker was with a relation on Staten Island.

It felt rather lonely for me, but to my brother it was evidently most agreeable. You know his is painfully deaf. He is therefore the most lonely when the family is the largest. The conversation flowing more noisily as well as freely. When he & I were left alone, he drew his chair round to the side of the table, instead of facing me & put the good[underlined] ear towards me, (not very good) & we kept up a shouting conversation. We go upon the place of the English

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Nobility. We never keep a servant at the table unless we have company. We ring when we want plates changed. [The...?] is that conversation flows more freely & confidentially. - After Harriet went away I thought I had an opportunity of sending a large[underlined] parcel to Nan. I bought for her the best alpacca the market af- forded, had it made up by [quess?]. I bought shoes for her boys, [naitted?] stockings for them, little shirts also, had 2 night gowns made & prepared infant socks in case she should have a sickness to which married women are subject. – But my hopes have all been dashed to the ground. – I cannot get the [?].

We have heard from Tobin twice. He had a fair passage to Hong Kong but could get no employment there. He then went to Shanghai. In going there he was in a dreadful typhoon. He says in his letter to me “we left Hong Kong in the morning with all sail set & a fair wind to be in the evening struggling for life in a typhoon. It was fearful but we survived it.” – In his letter to Sarah he tells her “I never knew what a mother Aunt had been to me till I was in that storm expecting shipwreck: Sarah, you must try to be more to the little lady than you ever have been, filling my place as well as your own.” –

Excuse my egotism in sending you these details. I like to have such from you of those around you.

I have a copy of Bishop Meade’s book on the Virginia families & church it very interesting. – There are some errors in it.

We have the comfort of hearing that Nan is comfortably situated, keeping house at Milton N.C. – Her husband has been ordered to duty on the Alabama River. – If you should have any opportunity of sending this letter to her, I should be glad. I write to her often but know not whether the letters reach their destination.

As if I had not written enough about myself I am actually going to put in my Carte de visite for you to remind you of your much attached old friend Ann M.