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Paris 26thDec. [December] 66
My dear wife
I have finally heard from Cadiz. The last Steamer left on monday the 24th and the next does not leave until the 15th of January. I could not have reached Cadiz if I had known of it when you left as it is four days journey from here. Therefore I shall be detained until The fifteenth. There is a young man named [unclear text: D'Naly] who [unclear text: speaks] of going with me all the way to [illegible text] & Georgia his brother lives in Macon. I shall wait for him until the day after To morrow [Tomorrow] and I have The Time to spare, but I must mail This letter This evening to him The Steamer Scotia from Liverpool, but I will drop you a short letter before I leave giving you the last of my movements. Last night I went out & Spent the evening with Mrs Lawton, had a very pleasant evening, but [unclear text: find] more & more strange. She is now all at sea about her Italian trip as Mrs Ferguson dropped down yesterday & had an infant it was born dead -- she is very sick & Mr. L. [Lawton] in going with them as she expected
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Julia & Mrs Burt are very well, & Send Their best love -- Julia does not become more Sedate & I should really like to see them leave Paris for Their Italian trip. I fear she is not duly sensible of the dangers which surround her and as her mother is with her I feel great reluctance to talk more freely to them, but I shall do so before we part. Mrs [deleted text: ] Gwin had a large party last night, I hear this morning thro [through] Genl [General] Breckenbridge -- Julia, Mrs Burt, & my self [myself] were invited, I of course did not go, & Julia declined I believe on account of having no party dress. I believe I have given you all the news which has Transpired since you left, That is all That I know as I see no body [nobody] but our [unclear text: own Set] & am very much alone Since you left, I shall soon start on my long & dreary voyage, with nothing pleasant in it except at The end hoping To find you To be well at our desolate home. This is the fifth day since you left & I hope it finds you to be well more than half across the ocean. Give my best love to Dudly & Miss Hattie, & kiss the dear little children for me. God bless & [illegible text] you my dear wife --
Yours truly as ever
[Signed] Toombs
P.S. I will write to Gabriel by next Steamer my love to him & family.