I received your letter the other day & now take the pleasure of answering it, which I should have done sooner, had not so many things happened which prevented me. But as you know that dilatoreness is not — generally speaking — one of my faults I take it for granted that you will excuse me & will proceed to give you all the news.

Since my last letter to you I have had a charming time — I mean for five or six days. I was invited to Hillsboro to Gov Grahams party & of course I went. We left the Hill — or rather I did — with the intention of returning on Saturday afternoon & it was Wednesday before I did so. Soon after my arrival I went to call on Mrs Roulhac & was speaking of what a nice time I had at the fair with Miss Connally, when I was informed that she was in town. You may well imagine how delighted I was, on hearingit. I immediately wrote her a note asking her permission to allow me to escort her to the party. She of course said yes & the consequence was I went with her. We all had a nice time considering it was a "dog hanging." But as Mrs Graham is a strong Baptist it could not be helped. Miss C. said she was delighted to see me & looked very pretty in fact I thought she was the prettiest one in the room & a majority agreed with me. Saturday I was invited to dine at Mr Camerons where she was staying. I had a dull time that day. Miss M. Lillie gave me the cold shoulder & I began to think that Miss Ida's prediction had come true viz — that she was a great flirt. But all that was made up that night at Mrs Roulhac's where she took tea Sunday night Miss Sallie Mitchell & Miss Pattie Ruffin & Miss Mary Lillie took tea & staid all night & Mrs Roulhacs & me had a nice time sure enough. The young ladies left us in one corner of the room & we conversed very pleasantly of course for two or three hours — it did not seem fifteen minutes to me so you can conjecture how I enjoyed it. I went with her to the party on Monday night & was to have went to walk with her on TuesdayBut all the gayety was brought to a close by the death of one of the nicest ladies I ever saw. I mean Miss Sallie Mitchell. It was one of the most awful & sudden things that I know of. She was in perfect health on Monday & was sitting in the parlor entertaining gentlemen, when she lost her voice & complained of a slight head-ache. No one thought any thing of it & on Tuesday morning she seemed to be better but in twenty six hours after she was taken sick she was a corpse. She was much beloved by the people of Hillsboro as was shown by the sympathy exhibited by them. The attendance at her funeral was the largest that I ever saw & all the young ladies walked behind the hearse. Her remains were carried up to Salisbury on Wednesday morning. Thus ended my trip to Hillsboro & it will never be forgotten by me as long as I live.

Miss Mary told me to give her love to you & tell you that she would write to you as soon as she arrived home. She seemed to be dreadfully distressed. She left with the corpse for Salisbury.

I am in hopes of meeting you in Hillsboro before long. If I aminvited I think I will come. My love to Miss Ida & tell her that I am certainly going with her to H. this vacation. Excuse this letter if you please & do not notice the paper for it is the only sheet that I have in my room. Write soon to your affectionate friend.

[Reverse side of dance card pictured on previous page:]
RC Slaters Academy.
[unrecovered]
January 1859 -