Sunday Evening July 17, 1859

Mary M. Hill

Dear wife

I am alone this evening. I miss you and the children more on sundays than any other time. There was no preaching at Smyrna to day it being old Uncle Absolum's day. Parson Bell preached here to day. I went to hear him and have been at home reading the rest of the day, except I slept a nap. The day seems so long! I did not get a letter from you yesterday. It seems like a long time to wait till the next mail. I know you have good reason for not writing if you did not write. 

I suppose Mr. Rogers is with you before now and has given you the particulars of the Pikeville news. Miss Ann De La Vergne arrived to day in order to be ready to enter upon her labors to-morrow. I think there will be a very large school. There will be a number boarding.

We have had no rain at Pikeville for four weeks. It rains around us - - little showers, but it does not rain here to do much good. But it will come at the proper time. 

Billy will start to see his father to-morrow. He just got his new clothes to-day. He does not seem to be much excited about it. I expect he will enjoy his trip very much. He has been a little unwell occasionally since you have been gone. Has boils yet. If it was not that I am afraid he would not treat my mare well I would not limit him in his time of visiting. I should be uneasy for him to be gone more than two weeks. His father has not written about whether he wants him to come back or not. I suppose he will come back or he would have written.

I got plank yesterday to fix our house but it is not seasoned. I do not know whether I will be able to have it fixed against you get home or not, in fact I have no time fixed for you to come home and I reckon you have not.

I suppose we are doing as well as we could without you. I have known so little about household affairs, that I could not discover wrongs however great. You may discover that all things have not gone right when you return. Mary Jane will have the kitchen full of negroes. Quite a number dined here to-day. I intend to stop it. I am afraid she is using lard lavishingly but I don't know. I hope you will find every thing right when you come home. We will do the best we can.

Cousin Nancy Hutchison enjoined it upon me, that I write to you, that if mother died while you are there, save her a lock of hair. I hope from the tone of your last letter that she will recover. And still I can hardly hope, it seems to me, when I think about it, that it is a mere question of time. Yet all things are possible with Him, with whom we have to do.

I will not enjoin it upon you any more to write to me. I know you will if you can. You don't know how bad I feel when I miss getting a letter. I am sure to think maybe something bad is the matter of mother or you or the children. But I know I am wrong for thinking of these things. It does no good. I will be more of a man hereafter. Tell Eddie that his pa loves him and wants to see him. Tell Lucius that I will come after him to have him sleep with me. I would give almost anything for one of the children to night. Kiss Ella.

Your affectionate husband

W. J. Hill


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Transcription used with permission of Charles Massey.

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Transcription by Charles Massey.
Image by G. Anne Sloan