Cornelia J. Randolph to Virginia J. Randolph Trist
Bremo Recess June 24 1827 |
I have just heard dear Virginia that Mrs Faulcon (Louisiana Cocke) was going to Albemarle and that she would take letters for us; I am very much tired already with writing I am terribly sleepy but cannot lose so good an opportunity. I would write to Mary but Mary Cary intends to do so, tell her I will write the next time to her. We have not done much this week but at last have got fairly rid of the wedding company & will begin p work to morrow industriously, monday. as aunt Carr cannot entertain she only invited them to tea & Mary & myself determining everything should be in style went out & prepared a feast with our own hands which did much credit to our us as cooks I assure you, the cake & creams were excellent, preserves, compotes &c were as good; we then set out the table very tastefully and our company were much delighted (or seemed to be) with our walking supper; after it, we went into the gardens where the girls & young men, John Cocke at the head of them pelted each other with green fruit untill they were tired, while I stood in all the dignity of a new acquaintance who could not be taken liberties with, in safety, while the fruit flew round my head never missing its aim & never touching me, while the girls screamed & the young men shouted & there was a real right down romp; so much for Norfolk manners. The whole party are going to Charlottesville on their way to over the mountains some where. Louisiana is a sweet girl I think Miss Eyre whom John Cocke is trying to make up his mind to fall in love with is ugly & formal & precise (she was not in the romp) but sings delightfully, her voice singing “It fell upon a day” rings through my ears now, I was quite rapt when I heard it; she also draws prettily & has the most “accomplished extremities” I know. John Cocke to my infinite surprise I find excessively agreable, Mr Otway Barande, the uncle of the young Cockes is much like Mr Elliot in person but tiresome to the last degree, Mr Eyre I can say nothing of, except that every body laughs at his ugliness some saying his face looks as if it was rat eaten, & some that his nose was like a saddle, others that it was like a big toe & many such smart speechs; and that he still keeps the most l elegant gig in the country. Mrs Cocke from all accounts is the rudest woman that ever lived she seems to have taken a dislike to aunt C. because (as I suspect) she was afraid her brother was too attentive to her, but tace—I had written so far when a gentlemen came in who promises to take my letter to Bremo so adieu my beloved write to me & tell me every thing your own sister kiss my little darling for me.
The girls send their love to you.