Jane Johnston Mitchell/Michel to John Milton Binckley, circa 1865

[Jane Mary Wood Johnston Mitchell/Michel to John Milton Binckley, circa 1865]:

My dear son Milton, son in love, as well as son in law, I have, as usual, but a few lines to write, as I see with great difficulty -- but they must be written, well marked and faithfully obeyed. Harvey [Harvey Mitchell/Michel, 1799-1866] will tell you that I want the money from Pembroke -- let him believe so if you see fit. I want it for your use, hoping that it may help, at least in some measure, to remove your present perplexities. I would give you the last hair on my head if it would do you any good. The cottage must be saved whatever present privation be incurred by sacrificing all other property of avail. 

Remember, we all love that sweet spot, and our hearts would ache to see it sold. Besides, it wd. [would] be sold at immense loss. Now, if you can get hold of the five hundred due, ere long, on Pembroke, it will make a large part of your mortgage. I command you, as my son, to get & use it in this way.

I had a letter from sister Lydia in which she says she trusts that Joseph will give Willie a place as soon as he can. She has not seen him since his appointment, & he is overrun with business -- but she seems sure. [Lydia = Lydia Mulligan Sims McLane Johnston, 1822-1887; Joseph = Joseph Eggleston Johnston, 1807-1891; Willie = William M. Mitchell/Michel, 1840-1908].

Yours in love.
J.W.M. 

Original manuscript in the John Milton Binckley Papers, 1816-1943. Library of Congress Manuscript Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. This is my rough transcription. 

Many thanks to William Myers for sending scanned copies of the documents from the Binckley papers, and also to Mary Davy and Sally Young for their assistance.