Morganton, N. C. 
						Wednesday Afternoon
						Jan 29, 1902
My dear Wilhelmina
	I am just out of bed and as I hear that none of the girls have written you I thought you might feel neglected. 
They say I have grip - I have aches all over, but what put me to bed was a terrible pain in my right side. I could 
not draw long breath without the most excruciating pain. I went to bed - took calomel and salts and covered my chest 
with *mustard plasters  and … plasters all round me and then went to **Dr. Tull(?) who sent me some ante … [illegible] 
and I am better, but will not leave my room 'till I feel more like I "use to was". I guess I'm getting old and can't 
stand what I once could. 
	Did you hear of Charlie Moore's death? You might write to Mag. Mrs. Tull's mother is dead and she has gone to 
Chambersburg, but I guess Ike told you of that. Yesterday we had sleet and snow. Today is bright but cool. 
	I think Easter would be a nice time for you all to go to Charleston and I think if you could rent a room and three 
girls take a big lunch basket with what you would buy in the way of fruit and would be the cheapest and best way to go.
I have promised Irene the trip and will have to borrow the money for her to go. You know the mill has declared no 
dividends for the past year, and consequently we have not even paid the interest in Charlotte much less reducing the 
principal. We had expected to get the dividends from the Sash & Blind, but this failed also. The manager says he invested 
the money in lumber. I tell you all this to tell you how tight times are. Frank had no work and I don't see how he is to 
pay L. R. her interest and she has begun to write about it. I sometimes feel like giving up and just letting things take 
their own sweet way, but then again I look at poor John and know that the reckoning will surely come sooner or later.
	Lizzie Perkins has just come in to ask that Irene go home with her. I think you are about right when you ask if Irene 
didn't stay over there most of the time - they seem to have formed a mutual admiration society. Mrs. Murphy made the biscuit 
for me. I made her a chocolate cake. The Perkins said they sent their contribution to you. I don't know what they sent. 
It was at Presnells a week before Weeta left for Clinton. I only sent the biscuit as I made little or no preparation for Xmas 
and had nothing but hog and hominy to send, and I knew you wanted none of that. 
	Estelle Hicks baby is very ill. I do hope it will live. I feel so sorry for that woman. 	
	Uncle Cam has been in Washington for the past ten days looking after his re-appointment. John Mull has given him a lively 
time, but we hear today that he is re-appointed. I trust it is so. He has been very unwell and I don't think he will live many 
years. I could not bare [bear] to have the likes of John Mull defeat him. Cameron's record was all right. The trouble was with 
Blackburn who is the Congressman, and Cam had supported ***Linney  against him for the nomination. So you see it was a fight with 
Rads all through. All the decent men Rads & Dems were for Cameron. 
	Alex works on the steam shovel and Wilson fools his time away with horses and between them they nearly run me crazy. I am 
sending Gordon to ****Mrs. Morbert this session. I wish I had done it years ago. Patton is a crank! Gordon is a good conscientious 
child and a gentleman and has plenty of sense, but his mind has never been trained,  thanks to Miss Dickson. I hope you will pay 
particular attention to this one thing - I mean how to teach a child to study and apply it. I don't want him to do as Alex and 
Wilson have done, grow up without any education. It will just break my heart!
	I hear someone at the door. I must stop in order to get this mailed. Write me all about yourself. You might just as well put 
this scratch in the fire after reading it.  Affec. Mama