My Dear Husband

     I have just received and read, your letter, (through Mr Moffett, and happy to hear of your safety so far. I was just going to write to you, any way, as I received your letter thought I would not wate untell I received a letter from you, as it would make the time as long before you would hear from home. Jimmie and me have both been sick since you left. the night you left home Jimmie was as sick a child all night as I ever saw and is sick yet but not as bad. I gave him a good dose of Oil, and he has been some better. I think he is cutting his eye or stomache teeth and has a horrible cold besides. The little fellow is very patient with all

[. . . .]ries to be lively. The [. . . .]orning after you left I got up with the weed in my left breast it was most as big as your head. It looked quite angry, and felt more so, but I have been bathing it with essence of mustard, and it is much better. I have a horrible head ache this morning and that everlasting sickness of stomache I am all most ready to believe there is something else the matter. my feelings indicate it. Mrs Anderson and Mary declare there is something the matter with me for they can see it in my face and color. I told them I guess they was mistaken. I never let on that I suspicioned such a thing myself. I hope I am mistaken.
     I have showed little Jimmie your likeness every night and morning, and Me and Jimmie

kiss it over and often and pray that the God of heaven may watch over and protect the absent one. I ask Jimmie where Pa is he stretches his little hands up for the likeness and he begs untell I give it to him, then he will kiss it and make his uncle Dan kiss and every one that is in the room. he will look at it and chew like you do at the table and walk to the fire and spit like you. last night he would not get in the cradle and go to sleep untell I gave him your likeness that he got in the cradle with it in his arm's and went to sleep. he goes to the bed of a morning to wake you up I tell him Pa at the door and he tries to opten the door and stands and listens. Jimmie is a wonderfull smart child of his age.
I have not sent Hyram after the corn yet. yesterday was so muddy

and today looks like rain
     Grand Mother Clarkson [i.e., Mary Campbell Clarkson (c1794-c1878)] came down yesterday evening Mother [i.e.. Louisa Clarkson Walker (b. 1815)] was over here when I received your letter to see how Jimmie was, and says Susan want to board with them if they could spare her a room said her and Poppa [i.e., James E. Walker (1810-1880)] had been talking about it and Poppa says he hates to tell her he wont board her. I told her I thought they had a housefull all ready, with out any more. she replied, it looked so. If you was to go off and leave me I would keep house if I had to stay by my lone self. People should not talk about you and say you was no count and that you put me back on my Mother to support me. as if it was your desire for me to board it would not be there. I want us to be independent and make the whole world think it.
     The sale of negroes at Morristown went high. one negro man sold for eighteen hundred dollars. and little negro boys for

Write soon and often