Cary Ann Nicholas Smith to Jane H. Nicholas Randolph
| My dear Jame Jane | Jan 11 1819 |
What can be the matter with you. I know you are not dead. you certainly cannot be affronted. your children I am sure can spare you an half hour to write to me: so your reason for not doing it I cannot imagine. it is not want of subject for besides what relates to yourself which is always interesting. I know no neighbourhood so fruitful in events as yours. however nothing wonderful appears to have any effect on you. not even Martha’s marriage has been able to rouse you. what do you think of Polly, she thinks it a good thing. for my part I have done nothing but reprobate it. I wonder how long it will last! can she submit to control: I suppose Aunt Carr gives herself great credit. we will see what his children will think of their mamma some year hence.
How does your little Mary Buchannan come on. my Margaret gave Mrs Stevenson an account the other day of all your family & I was surprised to find she knew there was an addition to it. she remmembers all about you. even to the song that you used to sing to Patsey. I suppose Margaret R feels herself a little woman beside the other [. . .] two: you would not know Mary she has grown so round and fat. she is very short but at last walks. she talks very smartly. I think she is much more forward than her sister was at her age. Maria Louisa cannot say a word. all the children in town have had the scarlet fever very badly mine have escaped so far. how did you get through with the measles in your family.
I expect Robert this week. he says the northern blasts have restored his racked frame to its usual tone: and that now he is only afraid of growing too fat. I believe nothing took place between him and Maria when he was here before. but I cannot say what may happen before the winter is over.
The weather is so bad I hardly see Polly more than once a week. they have not made up their minds as to remaining here or not. have you moved and how do you like the change.
our Cousin Willi-anne is here staying at Mr McMackins. she is a dreadful goose. but I am too clanish to say so to any one but you. she went to a ball with me and was very much attended to. but she is not as pretty as she used to be when she turned up her nose at cousin Caryanne.—by the by she has the most disagreeable way of cousining folks that you can imagine. exactly as if any one in speaking to you should repeat your name every other word.
give my love to Jefferson and tell him I hope the next time I visit him I shall not disturb his morning naps. but if he meets with a good spring to have it opened for my use. my health is very good at1 present. but you know a little mineral water is always useful.