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3 January 1863
Powell Papers – 65 P875 Box III, Folder 4
- - - - -
Kenmuir Jan 2nd 1863
My darling daughter,
By the time this reaches Pr Edd you
will both have returned from Charlotte & will begin to
want to hear from us again. You must tell me all
about your visit which I hope has been a very pleasant
one, for you have had fine weather nearly all the
time. I dont know whether you expected to return the
day before the New Year or to remain till Saturday.
I wish dear Hattie could have been with you – I rec'd one
letter from her on Xmas day written in bad spirits & I have
had one since written more cheerfully. Our Xmas passed
very quietly and we all felt sad, but after breakfast
your Father came in from a short walk & said "I have
not given you your Xmas gift – I smiled & held out my
hand & he put into it your letter which was a very
pleasant surprise – It had been taken out by Mr ______
the day before & not sent on till the morning. It quite
[2]
cheered me up darling – When the mail came in that day
we had walked out to meet the boy and I got one also from
Hattie so as I had had one from Rebecca only a few days
before I heard from all my children & felt thankful that
they were so thoughtful of us. How did your Christmas pass –
Did you see John Talb (?) again? I am glad you had the
opportunity of seeing him – Did you see any of the Seldons?
Did you get your silk dress made & how does it look? &
did you take any cold during your visit? Did Sister
enjoy the visit & how is she? You will find a letter
from Kate when you get home – She wrote before Christmas
but you must have gone to Charlotte before it got to you.
Kate is very industrious now – She gets up before sunrise
in the morning & she reads & studies regularly after break
fast. She is reading McRaine's Indices of Christianity
& then she gets a geography lesson, then reads a mythol
ogy & afterwards reads the Illiad which she has nearly
finished – walks an hour – practices an hour - & rides
or drives her Mother in the Buggy in the evening –
so you see she fills up her time very industriously –
Between times she takes of a meal – and at night she
knits, or sews on a silk quilt which Fanny had begun
a long time ago. I am glad you had something nice to give
Lu for a Xmas gift – How do you wear your hair now?
Have you cut it again in front or is it long enough to
go behind your ears - & how do you succeed in curling
it? Mr Gordon bought Fanny a dress & Kate a crape
veil from R - & they cost 125 dollars! The dress is
a heavy material, double width & not as nice
as a bombazine. Kate sent a dress to be dyed
& Mrs Nelson said they would charge 12 dollars for
doing it. yours cost 4 – So you see how very high every thing is.
Fannie's dress is too heavy to wear in the summer.
It will only do for a winter dress. It will not do
for people to wear out their clothes – will it? Mrs Nelson's
bombazine dress cost 125 dollars. I rec'd a letter from your
Aunt Anne yesterday – She writes more cheerfully than your
Uncle William did & says they are all very comfortable
that they can get plenty of groceries & necessary clothing
[3]
reasonable terms and that they are all well. Mr Grey
was to start the first mild weather in Jan to bring Arthur
here & Margaret & Ellen were getting ready to come with
him. If the weather is good we shall be looking for
them the last of next week. Fannie will try to prevail
on Ellen to stay here with Kate until the Spring but
your Aunt Ann says they are anxious to get situated
as teachers as soon as possible & that Kate & Nannie
talk of the time when they are to seek their fortunes
in the same way. I would send you the letter but that
is the most of it & I must keep it for your Father to see.
He went to Richmond yesterday to see what prospect
there was of his being able to get such employment
as he would be willing to take. If he does not succeed,
he may perhaps take a situation as teacher in Mr
James Haskins' family in Brunswick. Hattie writes to know
whether he wd be willing to come & at what salary he
would teach – Mr H says he wd take your father &
my self & not charge any board. He has 4 boys, the eldest
[4]
17 but not very far advanced and one or two girls. Mary
Castleman says they have a large comfortable house &
are kind pleasant people who have plenty of property
but not much ready money. It is 14 miles from Hatty &
4 from Mr Castleman's church. They are Episcopalians.
Mr Castleman wd not prevail on him to name what sal
ary he would give. Your Father said if he concluded to
accept, that he should offer his services at $40 a month
& tell Mr Haskins if he thought that too much, to day how
much he could afford to give. Your Father thinks he
would prefer such a situation to going back into the De
partment as he was before – but he thought he would
rather go to Richmond & see & then write from there.
I dont expect him back till Monday. What do you
& Bec think of it? You need not say any thing about it
till he determines. You can send my letter to Rebecca
if you have an opportunity, as I don't think I shall
write to her till your Father returns. Give a great deal
of love to Mr & Mrs Redd & Mrs Watkins & Patty Emma & Sally
[5]
and the boys & wish them all a happy New Year for me.
Kiss the little baby for me. Will you find it easy to go
back to your work again after your visit? Much love to Mrs
E & Lu. I am very much afraid Mr Barton has lost a
nother son & I suppose it must be Daniel. Mr Gordon
heard so in Richmond & Sister Ann says she "sees Daniel
Boston has lost another son" – We saw the name of Lieut
Boston of the Rockbridge Artillery I think – mentioned, but your Father thought it was probably one of the Fredericksburg Barton's. I hope it may not be
so but I am very much afraid it is true –
Well darling I must bid you goodnight – for I am getting
sleepy & it is right late. I have just finished my 15th
pair of socks, beside two pair of stockings for myself &
ten pairs of gloves (for Kate & Pernell) – 11 pair of the socks
were for the soldiers – I sent 5 pair yesterday, by your
Father, to the young men's Christian Ass. for them –
God bless you my darling children – Your devoted
ly attached mother S. Powell