Wadmalaw - On the Veranda July 19, 1866. Miss Schofield, Your letter reached me last evening and I must have credit for being very punctual for writing thee so soon. Without any preliminaries I'll rush right into the news - Of course that's all you care to know. But let me tell you the hours have sped rapidly, and pleasantly with me since you left - not a lonely moment! I never supposed for a moment that I could live alone, and not feel at times somewhat lonely - But now it seems to me the very [Underlined: Completeness] of existence. [Underlined: Time] is all I want. The school is very much larger - owing to the fact that their hoeing is finished [Underlined: "Done laid by"] and nothing more till picking time. I wonder we did not think of that. It is the best time in the season for them. You would laugh to see them come with great watermelons passed on their heads to be eaten at recess and I have a nice share every time, sweet potatoes [Cross hatched] Elizabeth was here, and said you owed her. I told her she was very much mistaken about that - that I knew just what your deal was and you knew mine. She gave it up - She is the second one I guess they will find that plan won't work - No rain yet. Mr. Whaley remains now. [?] I like "Jailers of the sea". That is some of the descriptions of earth's air and sea - but the narrative part is a wild improbability - Did I tell you Major Long had a new buggy - I presume you have concluded that I am exhausted by this time - so save a collapse that must [?] from a vacuum. I will close while I have a "bit' of news left. I can't say while I have a thought for that would [?] I had communicated some, which would convey a false impression. Write me the Chart of good cranium that is the [?] of the various organs. I guess the Phreno man must. I have had a sight of "them [?] little dose "O yurn" and also the [?] heirs. I wonder he thought I think you ought to be an artist if you tried much to save your friend from the lack [?] produced from excess laughter. two are ripe. The figs, and the trees in the garden are bending to the ground with their load, they are not worth anything to eat before drying in sugar . They are sickish sweet. Aunt Hannah brought me some (you know they are small), and said they were 10 [cents] per dozen: I told her I believed half were [?]. Mrs. Glenn brought some vegetables and wanted considerable. I told her she owed me, she was quite astonished at the idea. Mrs. Hammond taught among them 3 years; and she says she never found [Underlined: one] that remembered a debt. The other woman that worked a little, who owed 75 [cents] came for pay for the work. She began with she knew I was a [Underlined:" lady to my word"] and so on, then introduced her business. I reminded her of the 75 [cents]. but said she, I wont work that out - I'll pay very well. I told her, bring me the money and I'll pay you then. Of course I haven't seen her dusky form since. Mr. Tomlinson, said he would [Cross hatched] Saturday 21st Tuesday morning. I intended to have finished this and sent it but the Boat went soon after 6 and I was told it would not go till 8. I have not heard from Tomlinson yet - I have just been washing those strips of Carpet - told [?] to do it yesterday - She pretended to but the rag Carpet that had a paper on containing the destination of your trunk had not been wet. It looked vastly worse than before, being wet only in spots and the dirty water. [?] in Clarkson goes to Ben Whaleys every Sabbath to preach - I may as well close now as any time - I have told you the floating items so that you will know [?] is going on here - Sometime I [?] tell you more but now however - you know that package of letters that I gave to the Major that morning when he was down stairs and seemed so cross, well I never heard from one of them, and some demanded [?] me dictate attention - wrote a short article and sent to the Tribune - under [?] discussing the [?] surely see that the flour & sugar were sent up on the St. Helena - The St. Helena has been here twice since and no articles for me and here I have to pay 10 [cents] per pound for flour, 50 [cents] worth will scarcely make two small loaves. I am going to weigh it the next time - 8 [cents] per pound for hominy - the tickets will be all gone in a very short time at this rate. Sugar 30 [cents] per [pound]. That [?] was excellent - I had only a slice at a time cooked for a few times and before I had it a week I went to it to see that it was carefully covered from the flies, and behold it was all gone! Whiley and Ellen had to go to work at [?] to get some provisions lately and you know she didn't care for tickets a short time ago. You recollect there was a paper of corn starch open, and that starch in the jar, well they were both emptied with two small washings of mine yesterday. I gave her the starch for that ironing - Eviline made that new dress, and had it to wash [Cross hatched] question. If you see it please send it to me. I have taken [?] just 2 [cents] and next day paid 35 [cents] for a pound of lard - I gave that little interesting book to Waterman for his little girl gave Nellie Watson the other Sacque that Miss Pugh sent us. Sherman I suppose is sold - That miserable man over to [?] took the horse again without leave I told him that he had acted meanly - he said some "Nigger lied" and nobody ought to believe "Nigger news" but he has not paid for the use of him yet and I am afear'd I'll have to call in the Major for it. I hardly think Samson will pay or can't either. Do you know we were to confident of the good opinion and friendship of the men here. I mean our white friends - I did not tell them, you sent your regards to the white loyalists. I thought I should but just about that time there were some remarks made that changed my mind I am going to live within myself - Yours, etc. Mary in the next Monday - I tried to get her to wash in an old one but it was no use. She got a new light calico dress at Hammonds and hadn't enough to pay for it, and came to me for money I let her have it. She then wished me to cut it. Of course she had no lining - I cut the waist and took some of that new muslinett to line it - O what a job. I have had, nearly every "bit" of it. I had to do - I wish she would leave, I told her I did not want her - but yet she stays and don't pout a "bit" the first [Underlined: pout] and she goes. - She wanted a sheet off that "muslin" and I could not well refuse her - so let her have it. Every vegetable they can sell any other place they will do it - [?] is looking nicely. Egan has spent an evening here - said that the last call (not the one about that money) that he made here he resolved not to come again while [Underlined: you] were [Underlined: here]. I asked him why when he had called, and arose to go. I commenced saying come again, don't wait for a special invitation etc., when you turned and spoke to me and "shut me right up" "I did not say another word - nor bid him good evening." I told him I could not recollect it but if it happened it was on this wise. We had talked it over between ourselves and concluded if the men here never came but by special invitation we would not give special invitations any longer and that probably I was on the point of forgetting it, and you reminded me. but it was of no use, and that was only one of many other things - what the other things were I did not find out - nor ask, But every thing we said or did was watched and repeated - Major Long knew of many things that we had forgotten having been told him.