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Sunday night -- Feby [February] 13th/53 [1853]
My dear Callie
This is the fourth time I have written you and not as yet received one line from you -- I do not, my dear wife, think for one moment that you have not written, but I do complain most bitterly of the mails -- I walked over to Mr Walthalls [Walthall's] [added text: on Friday evening] and watched most anxiously for the arrival of the boy he passed my box and made no halt -- I however sent out and received nothing -- if I do not receive a letter from you tomorrow I shall be come [become] very uneasy, for I know that if you are well you have written at least half a dozen times I think too if you were sick some of the family would have written -- my precious Callie, if you are the slightest unwell, you must write me and nothing but the interference of Heaven shall prevent my flying to my darlings [darling's]side -- I have been quite apprehensive that my letters to you may have shared the same fate with yours and that you not knowing the reason of the delay, may have felt very uneasy about me -- My dear wife give yourself no aniety [anxiety] on that score, for I now am in better health than I have been for some weeks and were you, my beloved wife, only with me I should be perfectly happy -- I try to get along as best I can, but dear one, I feel lonely & lost without your dear presence

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On yesterday I had the old smoke-house pulled down the fence made up and the garden plowed -- I expected to kill at least 50 Rats and lo and behold I didnt [didn't] see one -- Joe, who plowed the garden, in plowing the ground where the old house stood, stirred up one rat, we couldn't get either of the black puppies to touch it, Joe cut & bruised it badly with his whip, Cora came running up and mounted the bacon-eater -- t'was [it was] right funny to see the little thing shaking a rat bigger than she was -- she is very sprightly and will make, with a little pain, a fine ratter -- she is lying a sleep [asleep] now at my feet by the fire --

I gave the negroes their provision, tobacco, &c [et cetera] and the little negroes molasses this morning and then went over to Mr W. to spend the day -- Dr [Doctor] Markham and three overseers were there to dinner -- Mrs W. & Perkins seem to sympathise [sympathize] deeply with me in my loneliness and urge me to spend a large portion of my time with them -- they inquired very affectionately after you and sent a great deal of love -- I think my darling, they are really sincere friends -- the dinner [deleted text: is] was very nice -- Dr [Doctor] Markham has dined with them 15 days consecutively -- no body [nobody] very sick either -- Daisy asked after her darling aunt Callie -- she became so outrageously bad to day [today] that the old lady gave her a slapping -- it improved her mightly [mightily] -- I have not heard from Marion since I came home -- so no news from that quarter. I intend to plant Irish potatoes tomorrow -- also cabbage

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lettuce & c [et cetera] your peas are beginning to look right green -- I shall plant some more in about two weeks -- I shall start Dan to cleaning, out my wells in the morning -- a job I dread -- All [deleted text: ar] continue well -- Sarah's little ones look fat -- Catherine takes good care of them -- Caroline wants Mistress to write a name for her boy -- I this morning gave [unclear text: Gilbert] the gold dollar, he seemed very proud of it -- old Booker says "he intends to have twins & he knows master will give him two gold dollars" the old fellow seems to hate mightly [mightily] to have been outstripped -- from appearances I think Maria and L Eliza will both take rthe straw in less than a fortnight -- Blanche is "sticking out a feet" --
The canebrake is ery pleasant now and I could be so happy were darling Callie here to share it with me -- you [deleted text: must] musn't think, my dear wife, from the frequency of my wishes to have you with me, that I regret your going to Ga. [Georgia] we thought it best and safest for you and must bear as well as we can, the seperation [separation]. but dear sweet wife I do love you so much, that I do want to be with you -- dear love be cheerful and try to be contented -- I know your relatives are kind and will do all in their power to contribute to your happiness -- darling Callie how I long to feast my eyes in gazing upon your dear form, press you to my bosom and distill nectar from those sweet lips of Thine -- dear, dear Callie how inexpressibly dear you are to me --

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Dear Callie tis [it is] getting late and time early risers should be in bed -- dear wife good bye [good-bye] and think often of him who loves you so supremely --

Your own

[Signed] Porter
Monday morning -- a pretty clear morning, will have a nice day for gardening -- don't you wish you could overlook the operation? All are well -- I start in a few minutes for the [unclear text: ditchers] -- My dear Callie write often -- You pretty sweet being I do love you so much --

devotedly your

[Signed] Porter

Remember me Kindly to all --