Letter to Laura Ann Arnold (Jackson)

Containers:

Box 2, Folder 1

Scope and content:

Written from Lexington, Virginia. Letter regards Stonewall Jackson's trip to Europe and general family news.

Language:

English

Other descriptive data:

Lexington, Va.
Feby. 26, 1857

My Dear Sister,
Your letter of the 8th came safely. I regret that you should have been the loser of so many teeth. I don't like the idea of you being toothless, but as you say another set can be furnished by the dentist.

I received a letter from Aunt Clem requesting me to lend Uncle Alfred two or four hundred dollars for Wirt to buy stock to drive to California. I did not have the money and even if I had should not have lent it for one reason among others is that if Wirt goes to California, he will probably throw himself away or be ruined.

I have recently heard from him and he asks me to lend him thirty dollars but says nothing about going to C. I think that next month when our bank gets in operation that I will send him thirty dollars. I am unable to say whether I will first visit Beverly or North Carolina.

Our winter has been very severe, but for near a fortnight we have had beautiful weather. The aspen is in bloom the and weeping willow is beginning to look green. I am still at Dr. Junkin's.

Tell Miss Eliza that if I should bring her a beau that she must not tell on me lest the old bachelors about Beverly should mob me for trampling on their toes.

I infer from your letter that I was when I dropped my narrative at the Cathedral of Chester. After leaving Chester I passed to a beautiful estate of an English nobleman by the name of the Marquis of Westminster; he lives about three miles from the city, but after driving about half a mile I came to a beautiful gateway somewhat resembling the front of a fine building. Here the porter who had charge of it admitted me and I drove through a park containing about 1800 [or 1900] deer, the race course on which he tries his horses, etc. the fences being made of iron and the grounds containing a variety of luxuriant trees. After passing on thus for near 2 ½ miles, I came to a magnificent palace covered with pinnacles. Here after ringing the bell a servant of quite a gentlemanly appearance came to the door and admitted me by my giving him my ticket of admission which I had procured before leaving Chester. The interior of the building is magnificent. One of the rooms is copied from the celebrated Alhambra of Granada in Spain which was built by the Moors.

Do you wish me to send you the old clothes of which you spoke next summer. As they are not worth much the cost of transportation may cost more than they are worth. If you wish them sent let me know in your next. Much love to all.

Your brother
Thomas

Subjects:

Correspondence

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