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Richmond
August 4th, 1863
Dear Hattie,
Your letter of the 1st inst
reached me a few hours since, and I
lay aside other pressing duties to answer
it without delay. It gives me such plea
sure to hear from my relatives as well as
to see them. Your Father spent an hour or
two with us last Saturday. I was rejoiced
to see him in such apparent good health,
and to find that with God's help, he has
been enabled, like myself, to bear up under
the painful [dispensations?] [His?] wisdom has
called him to endure. I trust the same
[resignation?] has been [?] your
dear Mother, your sisters, and yourself.
As regards the subject of your letter, I
am sorry I cannot write more favor
ably. We are not keeping house alone.
but are members of a house. Each indi
vidual in the house paying from one
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hundred to one hundred and fifty dollars
per month. No member of the house is permitted
a guest. This restriction we should feel
more if we had a spare room. We have
none, except an attic room, a play place
for Mrs. Davis' little boy, which is too hot
to sleep in. You do not ask my advice
dear Hattie, but really it seems to me
unwise to accept any position in Rich
mond that yields only a hundred dollars
a month, as it is rarely indeed, that re
specatble board can be obtained for
a less sum. Washing is three dollars per
dozen, and most of the Laundresses object
to take it except by the dozen. I would
be too glad to exchange my position here
for one in the country where I could en
joy the [?] of peach [puree?] [?]
and something fresh and beautiful
to eat. I would give you a list of some
of the prices of edibles here if I supposed
you could [?] them. I especially
miss the delightful fruit to which I
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have been accustomed.