[added: I am extremely happy to add that since my last letter my brother has improved very much and is decidedly better.]

I have not since my arrival have had the pleasure of hearing a word from any of [gap] directly or [gap] I wrote to Robina from Louisville and hope soon to have a letter from her, but if she should fail to write me I cannot but think that [unclear: Tout ] will let me hear from her. I do very much want to hear how the dear child is getting along— whither [whether] she rides Gen Thumb and how he behaves — Say to Tout that she must certainly write me & tell me about every thing that is going on— I often think of you all James and sometimes imagine you all seated around the breakfast or supper table discussing the peculiar qualities of the hoe cake Egg bread or hot biscuit — and enjoying the delicious grass butter & rich milk — how I would like to be at least within a days travel of you and occasionally come down upon you in surprise — tell your Mother that I have tried

very hard since I got home to have corn bread made and baked such as she has but it wont do. We cant [unclear: come ] it in our quaker city & I am compelled at last to fall back on the old fashioned baked bread. of which I [added: am] almost tired out — I suppose you are now busily [gap] with your [gap] arangements [arrangements] your corn must be up & replanted before this but I feel more interested in your potatoe [potato] crop than any other. have you yet found out the difference between early and late potatoes? and have you planted as large a crop as you did last year? have you had the same old hat fitted up and do you intend wearing your summer coats of the same old cut? I had expected to return to N [Nashville] before coming home or I should have procured the patern [pattern] of your Coat — I hope you will retain the patern [pattern] till I see you again. I had a letter from our friend Gale since I got home. you will remember that I rcd [received] a letter from him whilst at Westwood addressed to me at Philad. [Philadelphia] and from there forwarded to Nashville. in that letter you doubtless recollect he spooke [spoke] in such exalted terms of the ladies of Philad. [Philadelphia] as to leave but little doubt that he thot [thought] them far ahead of any he had

ever seen — My last letter was addressed to me at Nashville and forwarded from there to Philad. [Philadelphia] in this letter he pours it out upon the Nashville ladies as thick as he did in the former one upon those of our City. unfortunately for our friend his letters all reach me in a different [gap] place from that [gap] which they are intended — nevertheless Gale is a real clever fellow — and not the less clever because he thinks a great deal of Col [Colonel] Woods — I suppose by this time you have strawberries at Westwood. We have had none yet in our city. We had green peas in Market this morning for the first time — Speaking of peas reminds me of a good joke that occurred with a friend of mine a day or two since — he went to market to buy a quarter of lamb. the butcher perceiving his ignorance about meat sold him goat meat for lamb. & he did not find out the difference till a day after the family had dined on it. he was very mad its true when he did find out the mistake — but that made no sort of difference as the goat had been eaten.

Remember me in love to your Mother & yr [your ] Wife Bun & Mr. A. Mr. & Mrs Branch Rob . J. and Kip my dear little Tout for me. also remember me to Aunt Woods & family. Aunt Betsey & family Aunt Hannah & Aunt [unclear: Prece ] & family — and to Mr. Tabeis family. Mr. & Mrs. Jo Norell and to Mr. Lean and to Every one that you think I have left out of the list [added:

yours aff [affectionately]

E. L. Handy .