Page [1] view page image Philade [Philadelphia] June 6th / 40My dear Brother
Your kind epistle was received a week since but really have not had time to answer it, I beleave [believe] it was Wednesday week that I received it, and did anticipate replying to it on the following Saturday, but was prevented from doing so, by fulfilling an invertation [invitation] to a pick-nick [picnic] party on the banks of the Wissihiccou a beautiful creek about seven miles from the City. There was two Omnibus's full of girls, we started about eleven o'clock in the morning and arrived at our place of rendezvous about half-past twelve, it is a very romantick [romantic] spot . (if I may use the expression) we rambled about an hour or so, and then made preperations [preparations] to crown our queen Miss Blight , who is a very pretty girl, in the mean time the eatables come, just before we crowned the queen, we set the table (if I may so say) on some rough planks, but I would not have wished a better place, for the table, the fare was excellent we had vis [viz], Ham, Rolls, Pickles, Rusk , Oranges, Lemonade,
Page [2] view page image
Ice Cream, Cake of different kinds, &&&& [et cetera]. the remainder of which I have not time to mention, about four o'clock in the evening we had some company, to come out among who was Miss Hanks & her intended (as report says) Mr Gardell , on horse-back Miss Hanks was dress off in a very handsome riding-dress, and Leghorn [hat hat] with a black blond vale [vail], she looked very pretty. Margaret received a letter from your Uncle James last Tuesday who stated the agreeable fact of Father, Mother, & Bun 's leaving on the first of June for the charming City of Philada [Philadelphia] , the City of brotherly-love, I am sure I do not know where they keep their love, I have never seen it, [added: but] perhaps they are keeping it for hard times, I will not say any thing more about them, but thank my stars that I have not long to stay with them than I have. but to return to the former part of the sentence, I never was so glad to hear of any thing in all my life, it was hard enough realize Fathers coming on with Uncle Joe , but when I heard that Mother & Bun were coming I could not say a word, nor can I yet realize it, Although Uncle James said that they would leave on the first of June I will not look for them until the last, for you know
Page [3] view page image
how the good [unclear: foly ] of Westwood are about leaving home. You said in your letter that some one of the family wrote every week [gap] one, but I think that you must surely miscount, or that there is a mistake somewhare [somewhere] for upon an average I receive about one every three weeks, Tell Josephine she has forgotten me, or at least she has forgotten to write to me . Answer this scrawl soon for I do not think that it deserves the title of a letter, The girls send their love to all, Mag [Margaret]Woods & Martha T. send their love [to to] you particularly, and accept the love of an ever affectionate sister Jane Theora . [added: P. S. Give my love to Aunt Mary & Uncle Bob with all of their children. [unclear: Mammy ] and all of hers, Maria and all of hers particularly Cealy , Aunt Avarey & all of hers, Aunt Cilla & Uncle [unclear: Puiger ] , Aunt [unclear: Sary ] & Mr. Harding her beau, Patsy , Preston , Fred , Isaac , Uncle Lain , Uncle Will , Uncle Davy & Aunt Rachel the next time You see them, and tell them that I live with the hop [hope] of seeing them [added: all] in a year from now. Jane]
Page [4] view page image
single[added: 25] Mr. James A. Woods Care Robt [Robert] Woods Esq [Esquire] Nashville Tenn [Tennessee]
|