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Blenheim December 18th 1864
Sunday evening
Your long and delightful
letter dearest Mother was received
by Wednesday mail,and I can't tell
you how glad I was to get it. When
your letter was written I see you had
not received my letter of the 9th, nor
Nina the one of the 11th but I hope both
have come to hand [?] this. I have
gotten all your letters, and two of them
were very long on the road. I had
a letter too from dear Father by the last
mail saying he had gotten released
from his place at Mr. Scott's and written
accepting Mr. [Cable's?] offer, and that you
and he would be together, oh dear
Mother I am so glad, I do hope you will
both be more comfortable now than
you have been for a long long time, but
do pray write and tell me where Mr.
Cable [hires?] for. I have asked Pa over and over
and he never answers and I have not
the least idea. He seems to think Sister
will go too, but she has not said a word
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about it in her letters to me. I ham so
glad Father will not be out in that
office any more. I hope you all will
have a pleasant Xmas, but I am afraid
poor Nina will be very lonely when you
are gone. She will have gotten a good
start tho on the winter, for the year
always seems to me half gone by the
first of January. I hope you will
have good weather for your journey
and shall feel anxious until it is
over. I am so sorry to hear Nina is
losing her hair, but if I were her
I should certainly have it shaved af-
ter Xmas unless she makes some
acquaintance at that time who she
thinks will be apt to see her
very often, for short hair is very becom-
ing to her, and she need not visit in
Richmond for the next three months
and by that time it would be long
enough to be becoming, and I don't think
any think else will restore it. She can
make a flannel cap of a round piece
and then a black silk cap in the same way
and then wear a net over that and a bow on
top as Minnie Lloyd does and the inside
caps will fill up the net and it will not
look very badly I don't think, but if I
had it done I would have it done
directly after Xmas and have it shaved
backwards three times in the first
week, and then let it grow. Please tell
Nina that a white girl who has been
sewing for Mrs. H goes to Richmond on
Tuesday next and in a bundle going
to Mrs. Stewart I send a little box
containing a Xmas gift for her that
she must wear this Xmas for my sake
I hope it will be becoming to her and that
she will think it pretty. I did not read
the pieces you spoke of in the Sentinel, I
am very sorry I did not see them, but have
been so busy getting through some jobs
before Xmas that I have not read any
thing beyond the news. Oh has not poor
Loudon suffered. I should not be surpri-
sed to hear at any time that both Lees-
burg and Winchester had been burned to
the ground, what suffering there must
be in all that country this winter, and
will you ever be thankful enough that
we came away. Just think of Father being
in a Yankee prison and you within