I have only time to write you a few lines—to tell you our Situation—your Brother with his poor sick wife got here last saturday— she is extremely weak & low—yet there are some Symptoms in her situation which leads me to hope— her breath is as long as any other persons— her spiting is not of the kind I have ever observed in real consumptions— God only knows the event— your poor Brother is nearly as thin as his wife, his uneasiness & fatigue can better be imagined than discribed—poor dear Hannah— I am obliged to smother my unhappiness to keep up my dear Sons spi

     Since you left this I recd two letters from your Brother telling me that his wife was he hoped (& indeed to all appearence) better that they had declined going to Alexd. & beg'd I would directly go up I packed up to do so, & Nancy was taken sick which prevented me for 7 or eight days—the day previous to that of our seting off— he sent down to desire I would not set out as his poor wife was growing much worse & most desirous of being at Bushfield last Tuesday week the messenger left them in Alexd.

     Yesterday your two dear letters were handed me by Mr Mccartys servant, with 6 very fine oranges & the tea for which my poor G<2m>son returns you many thanks— to tell you my feelings on reading your last letter is impossible, to know that my greatly beloved Child had been ill—for I am sure that you was extremely so—put me in a tremour not easily shook off—& that it <p>leasd Heaven to grant you a reco<ve>ry filled me with a most pious ejaculation to the author of all goodness for his mercies— I am yet exceedingly unhappy both on yours & my

     I have inclos'd you the 50 dollar bill which Neale paid for my Tobo—& shall thank you to pay out of it my Tax at court today— I thought that your purse was low as well as mine now is—the inclos'd being the last of my treasure— I have just paid Mr B. Lee near ten pounds for fodder bought last winter God bless you & yrs.

     Although my beloved Bushrod I have not time to say much, yet I know a line or two will give you much happiness when coming from a mother whose greatest wish is the welfare of her dearest Children— I have been only twice at this place since I return'd from Selby & then for no more than three days— Col.

     I had the very great comfort of receving your welcome & affe. letter, wherein you say that your mind is quite made up in regard to settleing at Walnut farm directly—it would be a vain attempt in me to express my feelings on this occasion, to have you so near me gives that happiness I never expected to have known again in this world for sure my situation at Bushfield was a very friendless & forlorn one—& a poor unfortunate creature like myself feel every calamity with double force.

     The mode of conveyance by post seems more uncertain than it did formerly—determines me to write the oftener to my children, that the chance may be in favor of their receiving some few of the many letters sent that way—although I am conscious for many sad months past that my letters cant afford them that satisfaction they once did—for where the mind is distress'd the correspondent cant be a pleasing one, but well I know the affectionate sympathy of my beloved children who interest themselves in every thing which concerns their mother— thus confidently assured, she open

     Knowing the satisfaction you have in reading my poor & now unentertaining letters, I write often to you whither you receive them or not I cant tell as the post seems to be an uncertain mode of conveyance— my poor dear Hannah is yet very weak & sick, though rather better than when you left this— poor Col.

     Knowing the satisfaction you have in reading my poor & now unentertaining letters, I write often to you whither you receive them or not I cant tell as the post seems to be an uncertain mode of conveyance— my poor dear Hannah is yet very weak & sick, though rather better than when you left this— poor Col.

I got to this place last thirsday & found your dear sister with a fever cover'd up, her fevers are pretty constant & cough bad— Mr Fithugh who is now here, tells us that he saw you in Fredericksburg a few days ago— I hope you left my dear Nancy well— As I understand that she is not with you, nex saturday¹ we shall leave Parkgate & get to Dumfries, where we intend to stay till monday morning— intirely on the account of seeing you— we all are most anxious for that happiness— your dear sick sister very particularly so, before she sets off on her long trip‑ it

     Ten days ago we ventured to carry my dearest Mildred to Bushfield, where she recovered so fast that Mr Lee & herself being anxious to return to Parkgate came here on their way last nigh though contrary to my opinion, her cough which is very troublesome yet is a most serious affair, Col Washington was (I hoped) recovering very quickly when I wrote you by Mr Butler— has since relapsed & was expected to die, which determined me to come up with Mr Lee & your sister to stay a few days with him & assist the girls in nursing their father, our Parkgate friends

Your Affe letter came to hand just now, Mr Lee set off very early this morning to Fauquier on particular business, we are delighted to hear that we shall see you before we leave Virginia, & send a young carriage horse to bring you to Dumfries, your Sister who is still low & sick is most joyful in thinking to see you, she begs her most Affe love to you & says she can very readily believe that your tender love & concern for her is great indeed— she sends the only horse on the land at present for you, but is sorry he gos so hard— we intend certainly (should th

     Tomorrow being the day of our election I have written a short letter to you in expectation of its meeting with a conveyance from that place to the Fredericksburg district court where I suppose you will be now my dear Bushrod I must give you an account of my intended Journey to Parkgate, a fortnight ago I set off from this place on the above route, not at all in good health which indeed I have not been for several months past, but quite in tip top spirits at the idea of seeing yourself & my dear Nancy at Parkgate, but at one stay my maids horse fell sick, this I so

     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 tha

     Expecting you & Nancy daily for some time past up among us has been the cause of my not writing to you both— last night Mr John Grayham informed me that me dear Nancy was at her fathers, & that you did not come up— we are in great hopes here that Nancy will visit us soon— indeed unless she dos, I am afraid that I shall miss seeing her altogether, as probably I may return home in a short time— your Sister of the farm will lay in about September, before which time I expect to be sent for on the occasion— the coming winter with Gods leave I intend to gratify my m

I got hear three weeks ago.

I had the happyness of recieving yrs by Mr Simon who came here three days ago— I hope to hear more fully from you by Phil who is not yet arrived, my own breast only knows the many anxietys I feal on the account of my dear Children, who are far—very far dearer to me than gold or any earthly thing, as a proof, I have never objected to parting with any of them be the uneasyness ever so great, when my own reason & yr Pappas opinion told me that it was for their advantage, so high do I esteam yours & your Brothers conduct, that I rest assured of your dilligence in the different branches

     I arrived home on monday night safe through a very heavy rain; when I got home not a white sole was in the house to receive me, they were at Spring grove. I stay allnight by myself & all the next day for they did not get home until nex night.