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Lexington Oct. 17th 1835

My dear son
Your letters to me of Sep. 17th & 20
came to hand in diw time, but not untill I had spent
many days of anxiety, and a great wish to hear from
you. I know you were sick by your silence. I am
happy to hear you are geting well, I hope by this
time you are in good health.
I find a paragraph in one of your last
letters that I do not understand. You speak of a sup
posed correspondence of yours, and you ask me if I
know or have any agency relative to it. I do say
most candidly and seriously I have not, if their is
truth in woman I never knew you had such a
correspondence, unless you have alusions to the pac
-ket you left sealed up with me. I remember when
you presented them to me and asked me to keep
them untill you returned, you remarked at
the same time, not to let my curiosity induce me
to brake the packet, as I could not understand them
if I read them. I have them yet safe in me posesion
and I will give you my word of honour that I know
no more of them at this moment then I did when
you gave them to me. and this is not all, I never will
unless you say so, no my child i will never betray
confidence placed in me, I looke upon it as sacred as
the mandate of Heaven. I am conciencious of making
a breach of honour. And do believe I am as much bo-
und to be honest to my children as any others indi
vidual. This is not all. I have a spirit in me called
pride, that would not let me stupe to meanness to
obtain any thing. Your secrets are sacred to me, if
you have any. I will never tuch them untill I am
worthy of it, and that will be when you think