Lee Family Digital Archive

[Spring 1868]¹

My dear Lucy

                It is with much regret that I part with your Mildred¹ she has been very useful & a great comfort to me the long dreary Winter & Spring & I do not know how I shall get along without her, but hope you will be able to spare her to visit us again before a great while. Henry’s examination² was over yesterday & as he expressed a great desire to return only fearing the funds for that purpose might not come in time. The genl offered to advance them both for him & Mildred, as we thought it the best opportunity for her to return & you seemed so anxious she should do so. I do hope you will all be able to go to the soda sulphur. It would be of great service to you. I am sure, we shall probably leave home early in June for some of the Springs, probably the Hot, tho’ I am almost hopeless of any improvement in my condition yet it is some relief to the wearisome monotony of my life to go away from here. I have been giving Mildred Alum water for a month past which has been of the greatest service to her & I hope she will have no more chills with proper care, but if she eats improperly or is much exposed to the hot sun & draughts of air she is sure to be sick & you will have to be very careful with her. She has promised me she will not eat green fruit. Please make her attend to her teeth & though she probably will not study a great deal this summer yet if you could make her read out to you every day it would be a great advantage as she both reads & writes indifferently. Constant practice would improve in both. I have not attended to those branches as much as to her other studies, & will you also correct her habits of lounging about in all possible postures which I have vainly endeavoured to do. The great interest I feel in the child makes me wish to see all she ought to be & all I think she might be, with proper training & a firm but mild restraint. I suppose, Mr. Meade³ has sent my brother Carter the Lee genealogy. It is a very handsome Book though the Genl’s picture is indifferent & mine most horrible. I intend to cut it out of my copy & have written to request Mr. Richardson not to have it inserted in any more. I hope if you have one you will cut my picture out of it. I will refer you to Mildred for all further news of ourselves as I feel pretty tired having been forced to spend several hours in the kitchen this morning having unfortunately a most delicate set of domestics. Much love to all. Ever

yrs affectionately,

M C Lee

Source: Photostat of handwritten letter, vertical files, Jessie Ball duPont Library, Stratford Hall. Original at Yale University.

Transcribed by Colin Woodward, 2017 March 21