Mary Louisa Mitchell Binckley to John Milton Binckley, June 9th, 1867

Panecillo aka Panicello of Abingdon, Virginia, in its North Carolina location

Sunday evening

Abingdon, June 9^th 1867

I am afraid, my dearie, that you have not received my letter written the day after my arrival, telling you of our safe arrival, and enclosing to you the $25.00 that were to have been used for our railroad tickets. I hope indeed that letter was not lost – it would be dreadful for you to still be in suspense as to our safe arrival, and then we really cannot afford to lose five much less twenty five dollars. However I will hope for the best – I am now looking most anxiously for a latter – just think it will be a week tomorrow, and not one line from my old dearie yet. But I will forgive everything else if you will only keep the promise you gave me, when my hand last clasped yours – guard your health for my sake.  As for me, the first two days I was so excited that I did not feel tired or sick – but for the last three I have felt the reaction intensely, and there has been a cold rain that gave me neuralgia in my side.

This morning was bright and pleasant – we all went to church, a quiet little old-fashioned affair where they have really fine singing. Tell mother B. it would have looked like old times to her to see the meetings and greetings of friends and neighbors on the broad church porch after service. Discussions as to society meetings and singing, invitations to country friends to stay in and take dinner, and said country folks then rattling off in old lumbering carriages. Coming from church we stopped at Cousin John’s [John Warfield Johnston, 1818-1889] to see Mrs. Floyd [Sally Buchanan Preston Floyd, 1802-1879]. Aunt Lou [Louisa Smith Bowen Johnston, 1800-1873] is out at Robert Hughes’ [Robert W. Hughes, 1821-1901] just now. So there is no message from her to you today.

Uncle Joe [Joseph Eggleston Johnston, 1807-1891] is expected here shortly. One of Aunt Lou’s nephews, a cordial jolly young lawyer, came home with us to dinner. Afterwards, we wandered out over this lovely yard.

Reese [Rees Bowen, 1809-1879] is gone now; Sue [Sue Henry Mitchell/Michel, 1847-1940] has returned to take a nap. Nellie is at Cousin John’s, playing with the youngest Coralie [Coralie Henry Johnston, 1861-1954], with whom Nellie [Nella Fontaine Binckley, 1860-1951] is already intensely intimate, Mother has taken Harvey [Harvey M. Binckley, 1866-1928] down to the creek, and I sit here and wish for my dearie. I do wish we could stroll out hand in hand round this broad porch shadowed with honeysuckle and roses all now in full bloom, down the broad front steps past the gay flower beds and trellises of the front year around the corner of the house where the ground falls in terraces. [T]wo curving walks of tan bark brown contrast with the green slopes and the flowers that glisten and smile, while trees arch over and one old willow bends and waves, as the shadow of evening lengthens, and the sunset glories fall.

Panecillo living room.

Mother’s parlor has a large bay window opening to the floor, and I can lie on the lounge on the other side of the room and still see across the tops of two small houses over a little depression a long undulating hill cultivated and dotted with trees. At its base the glimpse of railroad with now and then a rushing train, over its summit, far away in the distance a long line of blue mountains.

Harvey has just come in crazy about the water and describing (as you know he can) how it goes bending himself double to show me how it fell over. Nellie is better – Cousin John sent is two gallons of Sulphur water which I am in hopes will do her good.

I have invitations to spend some weeks at Robert Hughes’ farm in Tazewell and may possibly go on to see Willie’s intended.  Sue’s “chap” has not come home yet. There is an expedition planned here among some of the young married ladies to go to Scott Springs and spend 2 or 3 weeks. One of the ladies was one of my playmates about 25 years go!  She is afflicted very much as I am and it is said that spring is valuable medicine for such disorders especially. I shall find out what it will cost. I have plenty of time to find out and decide as they will not go until some time in July.

Uncle Bev [Beverly Randolph Johnston, 1804-1876] is very kind to mother, and indeed to us all: he has offered me his horse until next court, and if I can get some boy as escort I will take a ride or two this week. Supper bell rings must stop.

Your own Mary

[p.s.] I have $14.00 which is plenty for me this month. I do hope ere this your taxes are paid.

My hand has been itching for money lately – have you had more good luck?

How do you get on under the new order of things? Tell Mr. Wall the oranges have lasted until this day. The children send all sorts of jumbled messages of love to Gramma, Papa, and Mr. Wall, with innumerable kisses.

[Mary Louisa Mitchell Binckley. Abingdon, Virginia, to John Milton Binckley, Washington City, June 9th, 1867].

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.