Margaret Smith Nicholas to Jane H. Nicholas Randolph
| My dear Jane | Der 18th 1817 |
Why do you not write to us? you see with all the bustle, of house arranging, visiting, and receiving visits, I yet can find time to write you a long letter every week, a striking evidence of the strength of my love for you, Never in my life have I been for the same length of time in such a busy state of confusion. The day’s so very short, and such an inundation of visitors, that the day ends before we know what we have done. I have this day completed our fixture, and intended to have had a little party for Ellen, and Cornelia, tomorrow evening, but unfortunately poor little Mary was taken with a fit on Monday, got better in the evening, but the next day she had a return of the most violent convulsion which lasted two hours, we thought she wou’d not have lived out that day, she has been extremely ill ever since. Margaret sat up with her one night. Your Aunt has this moment sent to let us know that she is a great deal better and to urge Margaret to go to a Cotillion party that is to be this Evening. this is a great joy to her, as her heart had long been anticipating a great deal of pleasure at it, and she had given it out intirely, and was preparing herself to set up with poor little Mary. But it is too late now to prepare for a party tomorrow evening, and I must decline having the girls a little longer which I lament exceedingly, as I feel quite ashamed at not having it in my power to have them here sooner; I fear they have had a very dull time, I have not heard of a single private party every body is waiting for some one to begin, and If I had made the begining I know it wou’d go on, we mean to have a select little party which is as much as we shall know how to manage. Wilson Cary and Nelson Cary, have just come in to drink Tea with us, and I must conclude. I expect Polly on Monday, I received a letter from Cary Ann yesterday, there is nothing very interesting in it except that there is some probility that our dear Robert will soon return, she say’s he appears to be completely tired of foreign parts.
Pray write, and kiss the dear Babes for me. Sarah desires me to tell you she wou’d certainly write you by this conveyence but that she is very busily engaged finishing her worked flounced Petticoat. which she expects to look very eligant in.