3

start to the north tuesday after his daught -- He will
be back about the first of August-- I went out to
see brother A.G. last sunday night-- found all well but
one of his negroes-- His crop is in fine order but wants
rain -- as all the crops do in this section. I also went
to see Tommy Ray on Tuesday night -- found all well.

They seem peculiarly fitted for taking the world easy and
making the most of it as it goes. Tom is really a
curiosity. I hardly know what to make of him. He
has no desire to make any more than just enough to live
comfortably on, and then to live to enjoy it.

They were all hands at work. Tommy and James and
Betsy and William (negro man) at work in the field and
cousin weaving, while William's wife and Granny were
making the wheels fly. They were all glad to see me. We
had a fine supper. Cousin milked her own cows. I
went with her to the pen. She has a fine spring-house, and
I saw all her jars and basins -- of milk, butter, etc.,
fresh and as cool as the fountain current. They asked
about you. At supper no one had coffee but myself:
milk was the only beverage, some taking buttermilk and
some sweet milk, and every one having his mug. All seemed

cheerful and contented, and full of such happiness as,
being weary and tired with a long day's work, night
brings to the industrious when in health. No sooner was the
evening meal over than preparations were made for bed, and in
a few minutes all of this world, its cares and losses,
its trials and ambitions, were forgotten in the profoundest sleep.
affectionately,

Alexander H Stephens