Margaret Smith Nicholas to Jane H. Nicholas Randolph

My dear Jane

It is with the most heart felt delight that I congratulate you, on the safety, (and the birth of her Son) of your most excellent mother in law. Mrs Davy Randolph, informed me yesterday, that the family thought her in worse health, and worse spirits, than they had ever known her, which gave me great anxiety for her. and I had only written “my dear Jane” when Margarett brought me the glad tidings, that Mrs Randolph had a fine Son, and was doing extremely well. No child that she has, will more sincerely rejoice in this happy event, than you will my dear Jane. You will, I have no doubt, give her all the attention in your power during her confinement. You will make my respects to her, and tell her she has my most fervant prayers for her speedy, and happy recovery.

When I wrote to you last, I allowed myself so little time that I was obliged to omit some things that I meant to say I did not tell you that Polly, and Margarett, were detaind here by the badness of the Roads, a few days of fine weather last week had put them in fine order, and they were all packed up, and ready to start last tuesday, when this spell of bad weather came on which will probably detain them until next Monday. Polly desires me to tell you, that she will send for you on April court-day. unless you forbid it, if it is not convinient for you on that day, you must write, and let her know what1 day will suite you. Your Father I expect will be up about that time. As Margaret means to do a great deal of Work whilst she is at Warren, it will of course not be in her power to visit you. And as your Father’s trip too, will be a trip of business, he will likewise not be able to make you a visit. But he say’s you may console yourself, with the expectation of a visit of a month, during next Summer, from both your Father, and Mother. I expect I we shall divide our time, from the 20th of June until the Middle of At between Polly, yourself, and Aunt Carr, and I hope you may not all be tired of us. Mr Patterson is once more in high expectation of bargaining with Mr Reeves for the remainder of his Estate, he expects to decide it this day, [. . .] he had no doubt when he went out this morning, but that he should close the bargain before he returned. You will not rejoice I suspect in this sale. But for my part, situated as they are, without children, I think they are prefectly right not to remain in so dreary a place as Warren. without our family, they must be solatary indeed.

Adieu Your very Affectionate Mother
Peggy Nicholas

Margaret anticipates a vast deal of pleasure with her two nieces, and we all envy her, but I hope it will not be long before we too, will have the happiness of seeing both them, and you. If you can not go both to Warren and Richmond, pray decline your Warren trip, and come to us, You can have no Idea how much we all wish to see you, I express this wish so often, and talk so much of you, that the girls insist that you are decidedly my favorite, I tell them that I do not know that, that is the case, but I must confess I think you more amusing than any of them. and that I certainly do not love any of them better than I do you. God bless you my dear Child, and make you always as Worthy of your Mothers love, as she beleives you to be now.

RC (ViU: ER).
1Manuscript: “what what.”
Date Range
Date
March 19, 1818
Collection
Repository