Baltimore, December 31th, 1834
My dear husband,
Your letter of the 19th I received, not until this morning, and we grieve to observe that you had suffered on your route to Annapolis, even more than I had apprehended; for I hoped that your feverish symptoms would not return, at least, until night, so as to save you from the languor and distress incident to a feverish state, particularly uncomfortable, as it is, on a journey. I fear, too, that you have been imprudent in going to the house unwell as you were on Monday. The circumstance of the tea was unfortunate; for a good nights reste would have been every thing to you. There is a great deal of this spur [torn page] kind of black tea in circulation, and both Elizabeth and myself think it more unwholesome, if possible, than weak green tea, and altogether as exciting to the nerves, and as bad for the stomach. If I could but find any good opportunity, I would send you some which is genuine, from this city. If upon inquiring and trial you can obtain none which is really good in Annapolis, let me know by any one who may be coming to this city from there and returning to it, and I will send some to you by such person if you desire it. That black tea which is of the darkest colour and largest grain, or leaf, and which has least of the green tea present in the paper, or after having been drawn in the teapot, is the most genuine. The genuine black tea is high coloured and dark after it is made; the spurious or new fashioned kind is much lighter coloured and has a sharp scent of indifferent green tea, with somewhat of a yellowish colour after it is made.