Vaughan, N.C.
June 18th /86
I wrote you yesterday & sent check payable to your order

Dear Dr.

Your letter & one from those [Copsackie?] lawyers which Em sent came yesterday, Did you ever see such performances. I shall write a letter & enclose in this for you to mail in N.Y. read it & see what you think. My idea of answering is to write in such a way that they cannot get an idea of what we think or mean to do. F. sent his letter to Uncle Ed yesterday & I send mine today if we can get it to the mail. It has poured rain nearly all the time since six o'clock yesterday & though F. intended drawing the logo for the railroad 'tis so wet they can do nothing & Frank dares not get wet as he would have to if he went to the mail. Your idea of charging for the work that has had to be hired in Smiths place is a good one & F. is going to write that to Uncle Ed. I am suspicious to know what their plan is anyway. What do you suppose they wrote to me for anyway? I think I shall tell them its my son [??] that is in the lumber business--F. thinks [?] wants the lumber more than he does the mill for he can build himself another easy enough, Whatever he wants I'd like to skin him & will if I see my way clear to do so. Now I want to ask you about this mouth of F.s he has a dreadful looking mouth or gum, there is nothing but a big hole there no gum left & on the inside down to the root of his tongue this hole extends & looks like canker. The pain is less only once in a while it starts up fearfully for a while, he slept better last night but could not eat any breakfast. What do you think of this & what ought he to do, I think the man has pulled a large piece of bone out & it looks to me as though that never would fill up. F. wants me to ask you whether the third tooth from the back has one or two prongs, the man who pulled it said he had one prong out but would have to try again for the other. The R. Dentist said the man would be a great dentist but to know that that tooth had but one prong. F.'s breath smells like an old sore & I'm afraid of what may come of it. If it was not so far for him to go I would have him go to that [??] again but he seemed to think it would come all right. Though he said in a few days he would have had a sloughing ulcer. A negro down here has what they call that & there is an opening in his cheek. Write me what you think of it & what he had better do as soon as you can. It may be better before your letter reaches me, then no matter; but if it is not all right I want to know what to do. F. bears pain the best I ever saw just grits his teeth & says nothing. We get 9 & 10 eggs a day now & he has 14 little chicks & more expected. His crows both took much care while he was away & I think he knows I'm a little glad of it. His kitten is a very cunning little thing & runs after him like a dog. Today thermometer stands 72. & we are as cool as I wish to be. I do wish you could see our "Lopsy" she is just coming in from carrying out the slops with pail on her head singing a real nigger wail & clapping her hands. She is the kind I've read of. I cant [sic] write more now & I think I've written you more now than you'll care to read. Let us know how thermometer is with you.
With Much love
Yours Louisa
(Tell Em I'll write her soon).

Would you add the date to this letter I send you as I dont [sic] know when you will get it off. I think Smith is after the money for that lumber that went to N.Y. They in both letters speak of reserving to himself the entire proffits [sic] thereof. Now if Smith even smells of one penny of that I'll swallow the whole lot before he should have it. He told the darkies down here that he owes 3.4. 3.00 dollars to go to Brodhead & he will pay him. He has not & I dont [sic] think will. This business is making F. suspicious of nearly every one & I cant [sic] wonder. Take care & keep well whatever you do. Thanks for your yesterdays letter.

¹ For more on Frank and Louisa Brodhead see W1567.