WCP1268

May 14^th 22^nd [1845]¹

I will now in my letters keep up a sort of Diary and continue telling you² all that has happened from my last letters[.]

I left Montpeleor [sic] on the 14^th May[,] proceeded in a Stage for Montgomery M^r[s] Price³ my friend at Macon⁴ happened to know a Gen^t going to that place on his way to New Orleans so [s]he introduced me to him & he was most kind & attentive all the way; we travelled all Wednes^d[ay] night & on Thursd[ay] even[in]g arrived at Montgomery⁵ and a most awful ride it was sure enough for the 4 Horses kept a gallop all the time never stopped for nothing anything and when they went downhill at the bottom of which there might be water and fallen trees through they would go & up the hill on the other side[.] The motion of the Stage is a continual dance sometimes so high would the jerk throw me that I would bang my head at the top, & then coming down thump my back & Shoulders, indeed I was obliged to lay hold of the nearest Gen^t or they of me or I should have been bruised dreadfully, as it was my back was so sore that on Friday night I could not sleep, from this description you will wonder how I ever got safe 200 miles. The Stages are so made that nothing turns them over[.] I frequently felt the sensation of sea sickness & many ladies are sick when they travel. — M^r Jackson⁶ came to the Inn and took me to his house Sister’s[.]⁷ She is married to a D^r Holt⁸ & they live in good Style[,] they have a beautiful house & sweet Garden[.] I spent the day there and went home in the evening to M^r Jackson[']s plantation⁹ 10 miles off. I receive much kindness & attention wherever I go, the Bishop of Georgia¹⁰ was so kind as to write a letter to introduce me to the people in Robinson¹¹ where I am going, I am now spending the holidays with the Jacksons. The house they are now in was built when they were first married & now they have ten children, they talk of building a new House [2] Mr Jackson is a clever man as well as Gentlemanly person — has a good Library, though I am here perfectly in the woods I amuse myself very well, they have company coming in carriages or on horse-back almost every day to pay M^rs Jackson¹² the congratulatory visit on the birth of her 10^th child¹³ — I am to have 3 for my pupils I only wish Alfred was here[.] Montgomery is a fine City I could expect he could do well as Engineer[.] If it should do better than teaching I can do that and assist him till he gets on, my pupils will all be young, the people seem all pleased to have me, the nearest house to M^r Jackson’s is about a mile distant[,] his mother’s[;]¹⁴ she lives with an unmarried son General Jackson[,]¹⁵ he has a good library and is quite a reading man & a man of fortune, you will suppose we are not dull here, (though shut out from the World) when I tell you that most days last week we had 19 children in the house, cousin’s [sic] of all ages in steps from one month to 15 years. The servants live well here & are well regulated very different from those in Montpeliar,¹⁶ I have not heard a harsh word used to the poor things since I have been here, I like this Country social life[.] I think I have found out at last what I like[.] You know I never cared about living the gay cities. The weather is most lovely now, the strawberries and Raspberries are over and the Plums & Apples are coming in[.] I keep very well in health, after June is the most trying month they tell me

I remain Your Affectionate daughter | F Wallace¹⁷ [signature]