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Richmond Wednesday Night
4 March 1863
I have received your last letter
my beloved wife, which strange to say,
I received on Tuesday morning (yesterday)
as well as the shirts by Mr. Johnson;
for both I am most exceedingly obliged
to you. Mr. Johnson very kindly
came to our office this morning &
said he would bring the bundle up to-
-morrow, but I saved him the trouble
by going to the Hotel to see him this
evening & got it myself. I send
two more by him which I beg the
favor of you to have repaired and
send at your convenience- of
course. I have the same number
now that I had when I left you
so that I am not in want, ^ and but ["but" crossed out] I think
it better to have them repaired before
they get crazy. The two that I send
require, each a front piece new, if you
have any linen (if not let me know
& I will send some up by Mr. Whittle
or Mr. Gilmer). I have marked the
two pieces that are to be new "this new".
One of the shirts also requires the
wristbands turned in at the edges
and both some repairs to the bosoms.
When you send them you need not
have them washed as they will have
to be washed after they get back.
I would have had these that I send
washed however, but they were
dirty & I had not time to have
them washed. I saw Mr. Johnson
with great pleasure, not only because
I like to see him but because it
was charming to me to see some one
who was from the spot where
you & all that are most dear to me
are. I am very sorry my
dear wife, that it happened that you
did not hear from me for so long a
time; I hope however that before this
your anxiety is relieved by getting my
letter which I closed on Sunday last.
I am entirely free of cough & indeed
of cold, except such slight remains
as are almost inevitable at this
season in Richmond. I am indeed
very well. It has been clear for
two days & is today quite cold.
I assure you I take excellent care
of myself. The weather has been
so bad & the walking so miserable
until a day or two past that I have
done no visiting except to good Mrs.
Clopton's once and to Mr. Price's once.
I was there in the early part of
tonight. I am sorry that
Henry Burwell is sick & of
course, also, some trouble to Mr. W.
and to you. I hope he is better, &
please tell him to keep himself
within doors at night during this
season at l^east; it is night exposure in all
sorts of weather which servants have
a passion for & which produces the
greater part of their sickness.
I hope that dear Georgy has gotten
rid of his cough. Give him my love
& tell him that Grandpa was very
sorry to hear of his cough & that he
knows how bad a cough is. Kiss dear
Breck for me too and darling Lucy Page:
what I would give to see the little
darling scudding about. Affectionate
love also to dear Ann & Mary & tell
them I want to see them very much.
Best love also to Lelia & Page. I shall
write to Lelia & put it in the office to-
-morrow so that it will go up on
Friday, lest Mr. Johnson should be de-
-tained here longer than he expects.
I dont know, as you did not say, what
sort of soda Lelia wants. I shall
send, if I can get it, some medicinal
soda as I presume she wants it to take.
As the month for which I was ap-
-pointed to office was out today
and I did not know whether the
appointment for "a month" was a
matter of form or what, I applied
this morning to know whether my
services were any longer wanted,
the chief clerk of our branch of bus-
-iness was very complimentary, as
he supposed, and said, yes indeed!
they could not think of parting with
me; he wished they had a hundred
such - it was very rare that they
could obtain the services of a gen-
-tleman of such education and in=
-telligence and business capacity &c. &c.
as if I did not know all that per-
-fectly well, However he is really
a kind gentleman. He said that
he & the chief of the department
(the 2nd auditor) were desirous to elevate
me and would use every endeavor to
do so &c. Some of my friends are also
endeavoring to do the like. I suppose
that I shall obtain a position which
will pay better, & that is really all
that I care for, as there is no service
in any of the departments below that
of one of the cabinet officers which
gives any distinction, nor is there any
which, I may truly say, (with the exception
above) is not below the capacity of
a man of good education and fair
talents. With the prospect then of
promotion in the money line, I do not
think it prudent to leave here now:
I must content myself a while longer
with my painful absence from you
and I hope my dearest wife that you will
try & bear it too. Of one thing I assure
you; if I find that it makes the least
[?] upon my health I shall at once
abandon it. Nothing can compensate
that. However so far as I find that
work agrees with me admirably.
There is nothing interest about public
or domestic affairs worth mentioning.
I have heard nothing about Williams-
-burg which is of any consequence
unless indeed it be considered of con=
-sequence that the Yankees have
carried the Hofheimers to Old
Point for selling goods in the country.
I would send you some money by
this opportunity but that this goes
in a bundle which might be lost-
I will send you some by Mr. Gilmer.
If you want any in the mean time
write to me and I will send a check.
I would send a check now but that is
sometimes difficult at Pittsylva C.H.
to get he money for it; therefore I wait for Mr. G.
Present my kindest regards to Mr. Wilmer.
I shall write to him soon.
Kind remembrance also to Mrs. S. & Bessy.
the Gilmers, Coles &c.
Remember me to the servts. Ever Your R.S.
_____
Mrs. Saunders.
I return the towel in which the
shirts were wrapped. I do not want it &
you may. The one which contained my
gown is of some use to me & I keep it.