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"The Howard-Smith Collection"

Transcription copyright: 1998, by Mrs. F. A. Augsbury; all rights reserved.
The originals are at the McClung Library in Knoxville.

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To: Miss Mary Elizabeth Gaines
From: Sarah Gaines, Nashville
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                                                         Nashville
My Dearest Mary                                          September 17th, 1830

      I received your letter of July, and though I have not replyed to until
now, I can assure you it gave me more real pleasure than any thing I have met
with since I left you.  I was very happy to hear of the health of your Dear
Mother and Sister, and particularly pleased to receive such a proof of the
kind rememberance of one who I so sincerely love.  I am sorry to say that you
are the only one of my neice's that I have heard from, since my arrival in
Nashville.  Mr. Pulliam and John S Gaines sometimes write, but not so
frequently as I could wish.  I have felt great anxiety about your Aunt Susan
and have very often doubted the propriety of my leiveing her, but I have the
consolation of believing that no other person could have influenced me in
leiveing her but herself-and I shall hope it will be for the best.
      You are anxious no doubt Dear Mary to hear something about my health
and happiness.  I wish I could tell you that I am well, but I cannot.  my
health has been indifferent ever since I left home, indeed since February I
never have felt so much oppress'd with heat as I have throughout the summer.
I have bean feble and nervous and incapable of deriving enjoyment from the
form and fasheon and folly I am surrounded with.  I have spent the last
fortnight at a watering place, twelve miles from here very agreeably and I
think beneficialy.  my health and spirits are better.
      George Washington Gaines, has spent his vacation with us, and
accompanyed Mr Wiatt and myself to the springs.  George is I believe the
verry best boy I have ever seen.  he is very amiable very intelligent and I
think perfectly beautiful-he has a large head large black eyes wide mouth and
fine teeth that he shows     quite often enough.  he has promis'd to spend
his next summer vacation in East Tennessee.  he wishes very much to see you
all, but you and Frances particularly.  I hope my Dear sweet girls will not
disappoint the favourable opinion he has already form'd of you from perhaps
my too partial account.  George leaves us in a few days for Huntsville.
And I expect to set for Alabama in two weeks with my Brother, where I think
it probably I shall remain until spring, when I hope to [see] you all.
      'Methinks I hear my Dear Mary expostulating with me about the lenth
of my visit. recollect my dear I have only performed half the object of my
visit.  When I left home it was with a view of deciding on the (to your aunt
Susan and myself) important question of living with one of our Brothers or
remaining in E. Tennessee.  If Brother was permanently settle'd and one other
obstacle remove'd, which I fear never will be in time to benefit me, all my
perplexity would be at an end, for I can assure you I never have seen any
person so affectionate in all the relations of life as my Brother.
      I have received some polite attentions from several families in this
place, and have seen some persons that I am highly pleased with.  I have
heard Mr. Hardin, Mr. J Crawford and I believe Mr. Mooney preach since I
came here and Mr. Blackburn and Mr. Hall and several others, among whom
were Dr Lindsly and Mr. Jennings.  I have likewise heard several Methodist
preachers and one Baptist.  you see I have not omitted attending on the
ordinances of God.  Indeed I have felt it a priveledge for wich I am truly
thankful.
       I hope you will write often.  tell Frances she must write to me say
to your Dear Mother that I should be extremely happy to hear from her. Give
my respectful regards to your Grandfather and mother, to your uncles and
a[unts] and their little ones.  Brother and Sister and George join me in
love to you and your Mother and sister,
                                                     Affectionately
                                                     Your Aunt
Miss Mary Elizabeth Gaines                           Sarah Gaines