How is California? Tell Hat her Uncle Walt will come home one of these
days, and take her to New York to walk in Broadway. Poor little Jim, I
should like to see him. There is a rich young friend of mine wants me to
go to Idaho with him to make money.
X
_Washington, Tuesday afternoon, April 5, 1864._ DEAREST MOTHER--I got a
letter from Jeff yesterday--he says you often work too hard, exposing
yourself; I suppose, scrubbing, etc., and the worst of it is I am afraid
it is true. Mother, I would take things easy, and let up on the scrubbing
and such things; they may be needed perhaps, but they ain't half as much
needed as that you should be as well as possible, and free from rheumatism
and cold. Jeff says that ---- has had the chicken pox. Has she got all
over it? I want to hear. So Nance has had another child, poor little one;
there don't seem to be much show for it, poor little young one, these
times. We are having awful rainy weather here. It is raining to-day steady
and spiteful enough. The soldiers in camp are having the benefit of it,
and the sick, many of them. There is a great deal of rheumatism and also
throat disease, and they are affected by the weather. I have writ to
George again, directed to Knoxville. Mother, I got a letter this morning
from Lewis Brown, the young man that had his leg amputated two months or
so ago (the one that I slept in the hospital by several nights for fear of
hemorrhage from the amputation). He is home at Elkton, Maryland, on
furlough. He wants me to come out there, but I believe I shall not go--he
is doing very well. There are many very bad now in hospital, so many of
the soldiers are getting broke down after two years, or two and a half,
exposure and bad diet, pork, hard biscuit, bad water or none at all, etc.,
etc.--so we have them brought up here. Oh, it is terrible, and getting
worse, worse, worse. I thought it was bad; to see these I sometimes think
is more pitiful still.
Well, mother, I went to see the great spirit medium, Foster. There were
some little things some might call curious, perhaps, but it is a shallow
thing and a humbug. A gentleman who was with me was somewhat impressed,
but I could not see anything in it worth calling supernatural. I wouldn't
turn on my heel to go again and see such things, or twice as much. We had
table rappings and lots of nonsense. I will give you particulars when I
come home one of these days. Jeff, I believe there is a fate on your long
letter; I thought I would write it to-day, but as it happens I will hardly
get this in the mail, I fear, in time for to-day. O how I want to see you
all, and Sis and Hat. Well, I have scratched out a great letter just as
fast as I could write.
_Wednesday forenoon._ Mother, I didn't get the letter in the mail
yesterday. I have just had my breakfast, some good tea and good toast and
butter. I write this in my room, 456 Sixth st. The storm seems to be over.
Dear mother, I hope you are well and in good spirits--write to me often as
you can, and Jeff too. Any news from Han?