I know Ma wrote you all such a long letter on Monday, that I would not be writing to you now if I had not just got yours & Alex's. I was in the parlor entertaining (or being entertained by) Mr. Jule Carr, just returned from Ark. when the mail arrived from the P.O. & coming upstairs after my visitor had left, I found June & Nora busy together deciphering Alex's letter. June cannot read your writing or she wd have finished that too. Mr. Carr is very pleasant. Had much to say about his travels. Did not see a pretty woman in Ark., though they out-dress N.C. women. He stopped in G. to see E. Morehead whose health is failing again decidedly. Carr is going back to Little Rock to settle, unless he can make some arrangements to suit him in G. He looks very well. I walked through the early moonlight last evening with the children — moon rising red in the east, sun setting gold in the west — to see Dr Hubbard .Found him just lighting his pipe, looking so natural, so pleasant, so cordial. I had a very agreeable hour with them all. He mentioned a pleasant letter from bro C. lately. Arrived in R. last Friday, saw all the brethren at Con. Called on Mrs Swain, Mrs Battle, &c. &c. I did not ask him any questions as to his future movements. He appeared so glad to be back here. And Mrs H. so glad to have him. Bro Sam was with us only a couple or so hours last Friday & those hours interrupted by clients. Dr Mallett says his speech on the Purefoy Divorce case was "splendid". Miss Ann Watson had given me to understand so previously. Sam looked very well. I took the children & rode down with him to Closs' creek, there we got out & walked down the creek to the "Lake". Thence to the strawberry patch. Fred Hargrave's establishment looks sluttish & tumble down. I told him it needed a mistress. We three & the Malletts went on Monday afternoon to get ivy, aiming for Ivy Hill, but we could not get there. So we wandered & meandered over Purefoy's plantation, the children & Patty M. wading to their heart's content

I think we got more & a greater variety of fine flowers than I ever saw at once before. I like the Mallett girls mightily. They are very agreeable companions. I have been to see Miss Ann Craig several times. She is getting well. Last Sunday evening I found her reading a little old dingy, dilapidated Testament, the type of which tried my eyes sorely when I went to read it to her. Next day I sent her a large copy (with the Psalms). You never saw anyone more grateful than she was yesterday morning when I called in for a minute. I had been the other side of her, to Sam Burbee's to see if I couldn't get his daughter Caroline (my cook Dilsy's daughter) to go to R. as nurse for F. Don't you remember that little child who with her mother lived at our house, the year you & C. did! This is she, now a respectable young woman of 22 or 23. She wants to go to R. & her mother Dilsy wishes it. But Sam B. claims her & she is useful to him & aunt Amy while their two girls go to school. I am vexed about it. She would suit F. & it is a good chance for her.

So I had a long hot walk for nothing, stopping to see Miss Ann who sends you & bro C. much love & a good long message which you will have to do with as I did — guess at it.

I wish I could send you a new Brussels too & everything else you want. If I was rich I wd send Mary a Piano, first thing I did. It wd be the one thing she could do without injuring her eyes. Dr Mallett said the other day she could not do a worse thing than write. Which has been my opinion all along.

Yes they say, a commencement is to be gotten up. Out of what material does not appear. The grounds have been put in beautiful order round college. I never saw it look nicer. There are only three students — two Pools & Guthrie. The rest are preps. McIver has gone to work reading law. He proposed to Argo last week they should read together. At R.R. meeting Sat. McI. voted against Mr. Pool on every measure.

Carr told me just now as he came down street he stopped to talk to Lurdon about the college &c. Lurdon said if they didn't belong to his party he would not countenance 'em. They wouldn't have students enough here in 19 years to make mile posts to Durham. Which is a neat way of expressing it.

I am so sorry about your cow. How do you get along with so many children & no milk. And what will you do at Com? I hope you will enjoy Margaret's visit. The secret you impart does not surprise me. All right. I feel worried too about Judge B. from all I hear. Dr Hubbard says Miss Lucy is looking well. What should make Nora so liable to a cough? Every time the weather gets warm enough for her to take off her flannel she begins to cough & coughs all night. It is really hot today but she is coughing so, I must make her put it on again.

She & June send you all much love, especially to Lucy. Thank A. for his letter. I am glad to see he can write so well. Love to all.

I thought Billy Barlow No. 2 was very good. Everybody enjoys it here. Mr. Argo is the man! I heard it was Dr. Moore of Company shop. Very few know who it is. People at Durham Mr Watson tells me think it is Mrs Spencer . I wonder if you recognized me in Monday's Sentinel.