Brandon (Mississippi), Aug 28th 1879
My Dear Cousin,

Your very welcomed letter was received two weeks ago. I was so glad to get a letter from you that I really thought I would answer it immediately, but I have had so many letter(s) to write of late that some of my correspondents had to be neglected. I write twice a week to the Dr. and Sallie and once a week to Lauch, and then my youngest brother lost his wife last Spring and left him with five little girls. I have one of them, and I have to write to him once a week so that he can hear from his child, and besides I have two or three other relatives that I write to. I would give anything to see you. I think we could talk a week without stopping. We had a letter today from the Dr. he said he was improving, and that Sallie looked a great deal better. It is four weeks to day since they left home, they have been at the Alleghany Springs Ga. all the time but the Dr. said in his letter that they would leave there to day, and go to the Bedford Iron & Allum Springs and spend two or four weeks there. Lu and Hugh and Bobbie, and myself are all tolerably well. Lu received a letter to day from Nannie McLaurin in Dimpson. She said Dan had lost his youngest child a little girl twenty two months old she died with dysentery. Kate and her baby were neither one very well, and John C. and Duncan are both in bad health. Sister Oisella and her family are well. Katie Watts her daughter is spending the summer with her. I received a letter from Lauch a few days ago he said he was very tired of electioneering but there was no time to stop until after the election. Lu received a letter from Duncan McIntyre recently he said he wrote to you at the same time he was going to turn his business over to John and come to this country soon. Sallie had a letter from Robert just before she left home, he said he was getting along well and was very anxious to see you and cousin Duncan. We have had a great deal of rain this month and the weather has been quite cool. I hope now that we will not have any yellow fever this fall we have been in perfect dred all summer of having to leave and feel delighted that we did not have it to do. We thought all year that some of us would try and go to see you this summer but the Dr.s health was so bad that he was compelled to go to some springs and of course I have to stay at home with the Children and take care of things. I have a nice prospect for turnips we have been eating the greens for two weeks. Lu, and Hugh and Robert all join me in love to you both you must soon. Your cousin

Harriet E. McLaurin