My Dear Husband

     I recieved your letter by this morning mail, was more than happy to hear of your safe arrival and hope by the time this reaches you you will be entierly recovered from your fatigue, and that your bile will be entierly well. It seems allmost like an age since you left us. I could hardly wate to get a letter the time seemed so long, but I brave myself up, to stand your absence, trusting in the Lord that it will not be long before you are at home.
     Well I had allmost forgotten to tell you we are all well, and our darling little boy [i.e., James K. Meek (b. 1860)] is sweet and smart as ever. I know the little one misses you, whenever I call you he will listen look all around for you and than he will hallew, I showed him your likeness this evening, you never saw one little thing so glad Laughed and put his mounth down to kiss. he knew you. Jimmie says tell Pa he will learn to walk by the time you come home and

that Pa must bring him a little bugy with a top. thane he will be fixed. We are doing the best we can with out you. I have stayed at home every night since you left, Dan [i.e., Daniel H. Meek (b. 1840), the author's brother] came up to day, These fool men are pestering him about that school. They are going to read the law up on the subject and he has gone over to night to see about it for the last time. Harrison is mad as rip about it, he wants the school, some of the commissioners wanted Dan and Harrison to take a paper and go a round and see who the people was in favor of. Dan told them he would not do any such thing, and Johnson is not going to let him have the College, told him he had better see the trustees about the Academy. Dan told him the commissioners had to furnish him a house he did not exspect to bother himself about it.
     I did not get your letter in time to send your certificate but will have it mailed in the morning with my letter, hope you will get it in time. What is the reason we have not recieved a Union and American [i.e, the Nashville Union and American], yesterday or to day? There was a letter come for you to day from

Campbell. If I do not send it this time in my letter I will in the next. he is very anxious for you to write. I wrote to you by Alex Goforth to get me some flannel for Jimmie's dress. I do not want you to get it if you have to pay to much for it I will buy deleye first. They are asking two dollar's a yard for flannel in Knoxvill. It is out of the question I wrote to you about Hodge paying his note fifty dollar's. Mother asked me if you left that five dollars for her she said she needed it badly. I told her I knew you had forgotten it. I payed her five dollars of the money you gave me. and if I need it before you come home I will go to your bank and pay my five dollars. I feel so sorry about Dr Thornburg [i.e., Dr. J. W. Thornburgh, then a political prisoner at Nashville] I want you to go and see him often. I want you to write me all the news that is afloat in Nashville all the men in town and the Country ask me what news you write. So give me all the points. well I must quit this time. I want you to get a good boarding place and take good care of yourself. I hope your stay will be short. Your must not forget your prayers for yourself your wife and little one

May God bless you is the prayre of

your affectionate Wife,
Lizzie

Dan says Alice Meeke sent word to you all she wanted you to do was to pass a law so they could not take free negroes or arrest Union men