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12th
My dear brother Porter --
Time and again have I written to my dear sister & yourself, and receiving no letter from either of you, I knew not what to think of it, till to day [today] my father sent me your letter written to Athens, & my dear sister, telling them hers & her babes [babe's] situation, and my heart reproached me for feeling hurt with my dear sister & she so to be pitied, & now though most of persons would desire sleep, I feel that I cannot close my eyes without writing you; dear brother Porter I never loved you better than when I read your letter speaking of my sister as you did & she dear one deserves it all, but pardon a sisters [sister's] love if I write plainly & freely to you, from your own letter dear brother I am forced to believe that you will be compelled however dear she may be to you to give up that loved one if direct & prompt measures are not taken -- My father when I got to Georgia expressed all his fears to me about dear Callie, he told me of your fond love for her, & yet it was his firm conviction that young and inexperienced as she was and so far from any female relation that she would break [unclear text: down] her feeble self, so he said

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then, so he has ever said & felt, & could you have seen that dear old man, when I asked him why he did not tell you this & beg you for a time at least to leave her if you could not stay with her so that ma might take the trouble off of her of [unclear text: nursing], I say could you have seen that dear old father weep & tell me "Lucy, I feared to ask Porter so great a favor, not that he was not kind & yielding to my wishes, still I feared he would think me unreasonable, so I dared not, had it have been [unclear text: Joe] or [unclear text: Will] with either of his sisters, I should have promptly said, you shall not carry your wife off with no one to nurse her & her babe, to a lone plantation to die but so I could not nor would not speak to Porter" but now dear brother my father is miserable -- I may lose your kind good [unclear text: feelings which] I felt I had gained by writing you plainly but I feel it my duty & I feel realy [really] that I could not take that liberty did I love you less or feel less free & easy with you & I feel that perhaps the day may come round when you will thank rather than blame my freedom -- now dear brother, I write to beg to ask as a great favor to us all, as well as love to your wife, to beg you

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to take my dear sister; your precious wife to Georgia for a while at least, as none of the family has any idea I have written you this, but oh how glad would they be & I know that my dear old mother & father would [unclear text: bless], and thank this son for such kindness to them I know Callie well dear brother & I know unless you, use determination her feelings as a wife being deeper than any other she will never consent to go much less propose it herself unless you tell her she must, her love [added text: for] you dear brother is too deep & strong for her to do anything but what she at least supposes to be your wishes -- if you dont [don't] carry her to Georgia bring her here, carry her some where [somewhere], this water would be fine for her & oh how tenderly I would help you to nurse her, she could not live so well as at home but we have plenty to eat & pretty good -- As my father loves you both as he does I often wish you would go to Athens & live, you could visit your plantation often its [it's] so easy now, & then you could add I [unclear text: verily] believe to my fathers [father's] life, & health by your company & your love and attention to him, for I know his heart & I know he loves you both tenderly, & no persuasion can induce him to give up the [unclear text: lot] that [unclear text: you've]

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in the fond but faint hope that you will occupy it -- now do dear brother let me beg you to do something to restore dear Callies [Callie's]health ere [before] its [it's] too late, I know its [it's] not a want of inclination on your part; but I have been along there & though I say it myself, my husband now feels so himself that my nursing and worrying with my baby was killing me, & that travelling improved both me & her, & she is now a fine fat healthy child -- & as Mr. G [Gerdine] started from home on my account he now is truly glad -- Dont [Don't] feel hurt with me I write & speak plainly [illegible text] only to those I love sincerly [sincerely] & I do assure you, think otherwise as you may I would write this plainly to but few others but I do feel some thing must be done & that speedily for my dear sister or her health at least will be forever gone -- I know she will have to be almost forced to it I was but now I am glad, as when my husband needs me I am able to do for him -- he improves very fast indeed but I am afraid to [unclear text: leave] here with him yet, I dont [don't] dare to speak of my anxiety to see my children -- I would write more but its [it's] late and my eyes ache me -- [unclear text: Do love] & understand me dear brother its [it's] all I ask --

With a kiss to the little darling &

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fond love to your self & my darling sister dear brother & hoping I may soon hear you are in Athens or gone some where [somewhere] for my sisters [sister's] health I remain your affectionate sister
[Signed] Lucy --

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[unclear text: Written in a hurry]