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                        Carysbrook August 10th 1864
                            Wednesday afternoon

        I do not know when I have allowed a week to
pass without writing to my dear husband, I had not intended
it should be so, and on this occasion- I hope, I may be pardoned
And now I have most sad news to communicate. Poor
little Mary is ill, and there is little or no hope of her
recovery, indeed, this morning we thought she was actu
=ally sinking, but prompt remedies—I had written this
much when Tuck asked me to do something for her, I put
my letter down for a few hours, and  now at nine o'clock
little Mary is resting in her crib in a sleep that will
know no waking until the resurrection morn.
I left her for a little while this afternoon to refresh my
=self after a day of [missing], on entering [her?] room I found
the blood [settling?] in her face., I knew the end was near
and just at present seven she breathed one sigh and was
gone to the bosom of her God. Poor, dear Tuck bears
her heart-rending trial with beautiful resignation
to the [?] will. I feel truly grieved for her, knowing

only too well the what she suffers—but she has not the comfort,
as I had, of her husband's presence, and I am the only person
on whom she can lean for sympathy in her bereavement.
her Sisters are not here, and she does not understand
her poor father. And this is end of my pleasant visit,
I have brought wretchedness where I had only hoped to give
and [receive?] pleasure. It is true I have nothing to reproach
myself with in introducing the Whooping Cough here, for
Charley was exposed to it on the very last stage of my journey
when I could not turn back. She had the whooping cough
proper, mildly, but it was followed by [Cholera?] infantum,
and finally brain fever. We did not know the symptoms
of brain fever, or, perhaps, the disease might have been [?]
Mary had the attention of a fine Physician, and every thing
was done that could be done. Dr. [Winn?], [?] was so pressed
by numerous calls upon him, that he could not be here as much
as either he or I we desired.
God be thanked for sparing us our darling boy-I tremble-
to think that he might have been the one taken-His cough
is still quite bad, indeed, he seems to suffer a good

deal when actually coughing, but he looks better than he
did a week ago, and his appetite has also improved.
He was devoted to his little Cousin, and came in the room
this afternoon where I was holding her on my lap, he looked
wonderingly at her as if he saw a change, and then said
"May." He tried to get close to her and I think asked to kiss
her, but Tuck said no don't trouble her-and Charley put
up his lip and cried as if his heart would break-after
a while he came back again and got a fan and tried
[to?] 'fan May"- It was sweet to see them together, they would
[hug?] and kiss, and seemed so fond of each other.
    I have no more to add tonight, but to say that I shall-
Dr. [V?] [ha?] here on next Tuesday for Richmond, and
stay with Mrs  Sully as Cousin Lizzie Paine's house was
full when I last heard from her. Charley was exposed
to the Whooping Cough on the 13th of June, I will leave here
on the 16th of August making a little over two months I
pray God I may not be the means of carrying sorrow to
another home. In the house in which Mrs Sully has
a room there is an infant. Montagu send me

word that Dr  Semple said there would be no danger
of communicating it after six weeks, but I feel very
troubled and anxious about it- The Whooping cough
is at Cousin Mary [?] but I fear she has not a
room for me.
    Thursday morning-The funeral will take place
this afternoon-Poor Tuck-I feel so much for her-

Mrs [?] Jones was ordered to quit Williamsburg
after 48 hours notice. I know not for what reason,
I have other letters to write this morning, and have not
a moment to spare-
    Direct to Clarksville, I suppose, I shall be there
by the end of the week.
                            Your devoted
                                    Wife
Charley [name encircled]                I heard from
                            Helen the other
                            day-all well-
                            Pig dead.