Dec 24th, 1813. PA
My dear husband
As I am just leaving home to begin my circle of visits to Major C., General Gale and Mr Dennis’, I shall not be in town ‘till after Mail day. I have written today that a mail may not pass without your hearing from us.
Nothing has occurred since I wrote last, in answer to your several letters, one of which enclosed 50 dollars. I had at the time 70 on hand which I retain to purchase pork, altho’ none has as yet been offer’d for sale in town. The sellers are keeping it back for a higher price but I presume it may be had, after Christmas, cheap. I am very anxious to be off to Vir[gini]a but am unavoidably detained by my negroes cloth, which I have had difficulty in getting wove. As soon as I have my people clothed, I shall be off.
Elizabeth is quite delighted with the prospect of more books. She thanks you very much and has her library at home in neat order arranged in a quarter of our bookcase. She further begs you to think of her little birds and to send her some seed for them fearing her wintry stock may be exhausted before she can get supplied with more.
This is a letter of domestic affairs entirely. In fact, I have [page torn at bottom] for any other at present.