I am mounted upon a high chest in the cellar, my dear sister, in the midst of sweapers and scourers, for my time is so completely occupied by serving & entertaining company that I have not a quiet unemployed half hour even to devote to you, but write to you I will even in this sort of...

Virginia & myself have had a contest, my Dear sister, about who should write by this post but I could not yeild my birthright so easily in this case, willing as I am to give up the melancholy privilege in general; I am not very fit company however for you or any one else this evening for I am...

I hope my Dear Virginia that Jerry quieted the fears you must have had on mama’s account; for we did not arrive here in time for me to write last week; grandpapa had intended to come to Chilton’s the second night in which case we should have got here at eight oclock the next day I should have...

I reciev’d your letters yesterday My Dear Virginia while writhing under one of those infernal pains, & with the horrors of being oblig’d to sleep that night in a room full of girls, for Mrs Carr & her daughters were expected last evening on their arrival from Baltimore; she is to spend...

When you see Elizabeth make my appologies to her for not answering her letter by this post as I intended, but you see what sort of a piece of paper I am obliged to write to you on and I have not another scrap,...

We have spent so much of our time in visiting that I really am afraid I shall do very little with my books after all, for besides the time taken up by the act of dressing and visiting I really am so stupid and so much fatigued when I return that I find the bed the most proper place for me for...

This is the last letter I shall probably write whilst I am in Richmond My Dear sister, & I must write as if for a wager, to be able to finish it in time for the post, I have just reciev’d yours & would not answer it at all but that such favours from you...

I am very much oblig’d to you my Dear Virginia for your two letters & am quite outrageous at Elizabeth ...

As sister Ellen is writing to mama my Dear Virginia, I will write also by this opportunity, to you, for I suppose you will expect a letter in return for the one you favour’d me with when you were here. we arriv’d here in safety after a...

I have been waiting for brother Charleses return all along to write to you, and had just determined to write by the post when he arrived, he is going to set of tomorrow and I have not time to write to Sister Ann by him, & besides that I wrote to her the other day. Papa has not returned yet...