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Thursday night Feby [February] 17th/ 53 [1853]
My dear Callie,
What a treat I received on yestarday [yesterday] -- three letters from my darling little [added text: wife] wife in one day -- 4th. 8th & 10th Inst [Instant] -- I knew my precious one had written, but the mails, Oh the mails to travel so slow with such precious freight -- I am much grieved to learn of little Buddy's death & sympathise [sympathize] deeply with the family -- My dear when death, irresistible death enters our household and snatches away the loved one, tis [it is] human to [deleted text: [illegible text] ] rebel & mumur [murmur] at the [unclear text: decree] -- Does he seem the terrible monster in his attacks on children, that he does on robust man? There is to my mind a wide difference -- Tom & Marion now have two special guardians in heaven -- two little angels who will hover around their mansion, to guard and watch over them and their little ones -- they have abundant cause to thank a kind Heaven for having blessed them with three such girls -- they are little jewels -- each totally unlike unlike the other, but still each perfect -- tender them my condolence in this their severest affliction -- they, being Christians, have a source from whence to seek consolation, consolation too of the most potent kind, unknown to us of the world -- tis [it is] [it is] in such times as these, when the

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afflicting, afflicting it seems to me, hand of providence is thus manifested, that I feel most the need of support from on high -- Would to God, I were a sincere & devout follower of the despised Nazarene -- I know too t'would [it would] so rejoice my darling Callie -- I am pleased to learn that I am liked by your relatives -- tis [it is] for your sake my love and not for any merit of mine -- I should appear to a great deal better advantage to have my virtues represented by Callie, than to submit them to a personal inspection -- I guess their opinion of me is founded rather on what you say I am than on what they have found me to be -- Dear Callie, don't colour [color] the picture too highly, for I shall have to pass the ordeal of an inspection -- But dear love in all earnestness I was delighted with my stay in Athens and only regretted that it was so short -- Dear love does the time drag slowly with you? When I think of the time which has elapsed since I left Athens, which I do every moment of my life, it seems an age -- I can't suffer myself to dwell on the time which must elapse ere [before] I depart for Geo. Dear Callie, sweet Callie, my little wife, my Callie, how I do love you -- how I long to press you to my bosom and squeeze you again and again -- if you were here tonight, would you occupy this little rocking chair, that sits so cozily in the corner? No that you wouldnt [wouldn't] -- You would

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sit, sit where? -- Dear love I thank you for those nice sweet loving letters and want a "heap more of the same sort" -- Thos & Lee Walthall dined with me on yestarday [yesterday] -- the morning was so unfavorable that I did not expect them, so I did not have a turkey killed -- but had ordered Mary to make a chicken pie just like you made them -- I know you like to have my bill of fare -- Boild [Boiled] ham, chicken pie (very nice) pickled brains (which my guests said were delicious, you know my opinion) irish & sweet potatoes, rice -- some sort of pudding, (very good) Now honey, do'nt [don't] you think I gave them a very good dinner? Nothing like such a dinner as we would have prepared, is it darling? Well, when my old lady comes home, she will fix up a dinner that will be a dinner wo'nt [won't] she [deleted text: !] ? Say yes dearest -- We passed the day very socially -- After dinner & while we were regaling ourselves with a cigar, in popped an agent for some trifling books a real raw Yankee he was -- we teased him and had our own sport, offering to swap books, trying to jew him -- getting him to tell the contents of his books &c [et cetera] & finally dismissed him by sending him to Thos [Thomas] W's [Walthall's] with the prospect of the sale of catch-penny work [deleted text: of] on medicine -- Don't suppose for a moment dear Callie, that we treated him rudely, we just had a little fun -- The creek was very high, all over the bottoms -- the water soon ran off & doing very little damage

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Catherine has been engaged all day in hunting the [unclear text: swamp] with the dogs, trying to find a diminutive Ethiopian for L. Eliza's comfort -- but as her main track dog, the old hound slut (queen) had taken a great fancy to Mr. W's [Walthall's] kids, eating only 15 -- and being too fond of the flesh to permit a dog to share it with me, I signed her death warrant which had been executed -- Catherine makes slow progress with Cora & the puppies -- They will learn after awhile -- She sent to me awhile ago for a spoonful of gun powder I reckon she has tre'ed [treed] one & is a going [going] to blow it out -- The negroes, with the above exception are all well -- [unclear text: Kossuth] was running about the yard to day [today], trying to [unclear text: catch] me as I went to the field -- I have been engaged to day [today] with Morrisette in laying off some ditches between us -- he is rather a common fellow --
Next week I devote all my energies to ditching, I want to lay off & stake some 5 miles of hill side ditching, a very nice job --

Give little Paul a slap for his Pa and tell the little gentleman to keep quiet -- bless his little soul how his Pa would like to feel him kick -- Can he turn double somersits [somersaults] yet? Take good care of him, my darling -- There will soon be one being in existence of whom my Callie won't be jealous, will she dearest --? --

Remember me kindly to all --
Devotedly your

[Signed] Porter

Friday morning --
All well -- about midnight, last night, a rather small colored person made her appearance to the very great relief of L. Eliza -- Maria stands solitary & alone --
The negroes all inquire every day after mistress -- it seems to do Booker so much good to bring a letter to me. The old fellow squats down till [until] I have read it -- then asks 40

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My dear wife, don't permit yourself to become impatient -- think of yourself your child & your husband -- sweet love,good bye --