I had the happiness to receive both yours & my dear Nancys affe letters—& rejoice to hear of your healths— the mistake of my thinking Mr Lee & Mildred at Belvedere, & addressing my letters to them there & they not hearing from me at all—which time they were perparing to visit you convinced them that I was sick indeed too ill to write— they wrote down for my horses & their uneasiness at my suppos'd silence— this they hope will apologize for not visiting you now— I had 50 lb. cotten packed in a flour barrel for you but Toney said that he had no way to carry it hower I had it put into my flour bag & hope you'll get safe— it is sorted from the rest & is very white & fine— I send 4 cows young & some of the best I have, 3 with calf, the other the overseer thinks is also—15 young ewes all big with young 4 weathers & 1 ram all which I sincerly wish you to get in the same good order they leave me—but indeed my dear I fear you will not—as driving them those big I mean may make them lose their young at least if care is not used— be assured my ever dear Child that it gives me unspeakable happiness to have it in my power to be useful to you in this or any other way— Toney apply'd to me for some money as he says what he has is insufficient to satisfy his traveling expences —corn & ford'er for the stock I very much wished to give him but he cant carry it— meal & meat & some swissle¹ as much a<mutilated>ll take I have given him— he says 3 dollars added to <mutilated>ey you gave him will suffice—which <mutilated> let him have— I have been for a week past very unwell having caught at violent cold but how I can tell as I seldom go out of the house & never in cold or damp weather— yesterday I fear'd a pleurisy might be the consequence & got a neighbour man to come & bleed me the blood prove how necessary this was— today I am very considerably better the pain quite gone the soreness in my breast great abated as also the cough—no fever at all last night so you see my love that I am my best doctor— I have made an emulsion which I take every night in warm whey & which been very useful— do not let your mind be agitated I pray you on my account, when I assure you that I will take every care of my health for my dear Childrens sake if not for my own— who I have every reason to believe love me as much as it is possible—& should I at any time be really ill shall directly send an express for you & my dear Nancy— I would have written now to her but will not detain your servant as I am anxious that they should be under way—but will soon do so— will you please send all my letters wrote to Mr Lee & your Sister to me as soon as you can, inclosed under a cover I am at a wonderful loss for my watch—but don't let this induce you to send it by any but a safe conveyance— did you receive your stockens, & a letter from me by the Leehall widow it would have been a good opportunity to have sent my watch—if it was done— After my <Par>k Gate Children <le>ave me I shall indeed be lonesome <mutilated>h— yet don't be uneasy about it— Mrs H.—of H.W.—off<mutilated>ys to my poor Hannah lord I wonder how your grandmother can live so<mutilated> I am sure I could not— now my son what can you think<mutilated> that woman— oh my dear no creature can tell my feeling concerning them poor unfortunate motherless Children—poor little nancy has had the cowhide from her father & his heavey fists into the bargain to please his ill contrived Lady— Oh I have a deal to say to you— what I have told you is so depend on it burn this pray & dont let the above ever transpire— my family & the Chantilly—is so conected that—I must act as silently as possible—poor Children— dear little Nancy is I think the sweetest dispos'd Child I ever knew— God ever bless you & my dear Anne—& that you may both pass a long—long life together uninterruped by even the appearance of uneasy sensations—sincerly prays my ever dear Child Yr Affe & lovg mother