I have written so lately & so often my dear Mother, that if I were like other people, I should have nothing more to say, but my pen like my tongue, runs faster than is quite compatible with the comfort of my friends. from your complaining of not hearing from me, I conclude that my letters...

I received your letter of March 12th only yesterday my dear Mother, and along with it Cornelia’s of the same date—I am afraid I shall not have time to answer both, as it is late and I have several little things to do. yesterday I reached my place of destination and settled myself quietly on the...

I expected to have left Richmond in the stage which carries this letter, my dear Mother, but Papa’s business will detain him some days longer; Virginia is decided to return home at the same time, as she does not consider that the pleasures of the town will compensate for the loss of the society...

I have received letters from all the girls my dear Mother, and none from you, but I cannot let Phill go up without writing, and as I have so many debts, I must reverse the old proverb, and be generous before I am just. I am at present staying at Dr Watson’s A few days ago, I came to visit Aunt ...

I have always observed my dearest Mother, that your letters have a secret charm, a spell, by which vapours and blue devils are speedily expelled; in whatever mood I may be, to hear from you is like a dose of æther to an hysterical patient; I am at once animated revived, & things & persons...

I have waited with impatience for nearly two a month expecting to hear from some one of the family (yourself excepted) respecting my final arrangement for the winter; The house is very much crowded at present, but we experience no inconvenience from it, having a room in another, house I never see...

Since I heard your conversation with Mead, I have regularly, every night, made a resolution to speak to you on the subject the next day; but when that arrived, I never could summon up courage enough to do so.—You expressed some apprehensions, that I should ...

I will at least begin a letter to you, my dearest mother, although I scarcely know when I shall have time to finish it, perhaps now, perhaps not until next time week. my baby has been very unwell for several days and this morning I sent for Dr Warren whose prescription seems already to have...

I doubt not your anxiety to hear from our new comer will make a letter welcome altho. it dates but two days after the one announcing his first arrival: Ellen is quite well, and her infant—although he did make his appearance three weeks too soon is thriving—being what mrs Christian calls “an...

At 8 oClock this morning, (Decr 29,) Ellen gave me a Son!—They, the mother and child, are both perfectly well: her troubles were not quite so speedily over as in the case of Bess, but they did not last long (not half an hour,) and were not of a very distressing kind: She has been well through the...