Virginia J. Randolph (Trist) and Martha Jefferson Randolph to Jane H. Nicholas Randolph
What in the name of heaven has got in to the weather? it is to that you must address your self my Dear Sister, for I never knew any thing to equal it in my life. the carriage was order’d on Tuesday to pay you a visit, and it began to rain before it could come to the door. last Thursday we passed as near you as the gate, but Ben was in the carriage and a snow was coming up, besides Mama’s having charged us not to be out late, and our having on account of high water, to come round by Colle
we have hear’d often from you through the way of Edgehill. of Sister Ellen, Brother Jeffs information with respect to her health and goings on, which we got this morning, tranquilised Mama whose mind has been filled with dark forebodings, owing to her long and inexplicable silence, which even excited our fears tho’ we are not addicted, “you know” to idle fancies. The first news that C. and myself hear’d of our projected trip, the last of this week, was from your note. nothing has been determined upon since you were here. I have wished to go down with Elizabeth, but Aunt Janes sickness renders that so doubtful, and Brother Jeff told me to day, that to his certain knowledge, Papa could not spare a pair of horses with out stopping a plough. Mama says something about a flying visit, down and up again in the stage, just to have my teeth done and to return again immediately indeed [B. G.] says my staying longer is quite out of the question now.
we were not invited to Miss J. P. W.’s wedding, but Elizabeth and Harriet intended certainly to go, if the weather would allow them, they sent up yesterday morning for some immortal flowers for their hair. you must certainly come up, and we shall feel our selves honour’d by your accompanying us to see that “capital cut” which Mrs. B. certainly is.
I have answer’d all your questions my dearest Sister as much at length as my time will admit of, and hope you will forgive the offense, which you deprecate so much, the 2nd bell will ring in a minute, there are two gentlemen here and I not exactly the figure to appear before them. adieu excuse this scratch and pity the feelings which tempt me almost to hang my self—dont laugh at your afflicted
Mama sends along message but I have not time to tell it you
dinner is over, and as Jem has not come for my note, I can write a few lines more We have hear’d this instant from Sister Ellen, She is quite well—Mama’s message was to tell you that she had told the truth, and many lies to Mrs Benson about your anxiety to see her. we send the tickets for E. & [. . .] for the charlottesville ball, to you as you will have an opportunity much sooner to Ashton, than we shall have. Brother Jeff carried yours to day, and you must my dear Sister in compliance with our ardent wishes, go as our chaperone, Mrs. Garret gave us a pressing invitation for the whole party to go to her house, but we will remain at the house where the ball is given, and you can go to Mrs. Garrets with little Mary. Meg you can leave here—now my dear Sister all is nicely arranged, I pray you not to disappoint us. Mr. B. Vaughan & his son, [friends] of Grand Papa’s are here—the son, called upon me very unexpectedly to drink a glass of wine with him, I did not hear him, and acted, or was about to act the sheep to perfection, but recover’d my self in time to save my character, and after blushing laughing a stupid laugh, recover’d my self possession and Mary says behaved with much indifference you will think me hard run, to write to you on such trivial subjects, but hope you will excuse me when I tell you that bad weather blue devils &cc. have stupefied me quite excuse mistakes