41

a very cleaver and pious lady any person that has become acqua
inted with her is pleased, I saw Mrs. Allen she inquired after
you all and in fact all the folks did. and well they may for I am
always speaking of you and my dearest darling little Shep so they
can't even forget you, you know my dear [?] that out of the
abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and there is not
a day a place or any thing but reminds me of and brings
to mind the happy moments I have spent with you and my
baby boy and then the reality stares me in the face that we
are seperated so many miles and Oh my God perhaps forever

My dear child when anyone has loved as I have and
always shall you [?] it's like a fond mother's being seperated from
an only child nothing can fill the aking void that this most
can give, and I must confess to you that those that ought
to of been kindest and done the most to of made me happy have
been most unkind but I am done [this?] much has never escaped
my lips before, Uncle William Jones is only my mother's half
Brother and she seams more like a relation than any of the
rest he is not a man of not many words but he acts kindly and
his wife is very kind in her way, Aunt [Fanie?] poor thing has
managed very badly and I fear all of her propperty will be sold
and then I don't know what she will do for I can't help her
without injuring myself and I can't do that for they dress better
and have more things than I do and beside she has three grown
sons and a daughter to help her and I have no one to help me
and my Negroes increase so rapidly that most of them are getting
expensive, well I suppose I must say something about my
health I am fat and look better than I ever did so everyone
says but I am very easy to become hoarse and always have