Aug 30, 64
Cedar Spring Washington Cty, Va
Mr. Martin,
Dr Sir
I received [y]our letter in due time & was glad to hear you was all well & doing the best you can, as we all have a hard way of living those war times those person that get to stay at home ought not to complain as they know nothing about hard times I suppose, you did not think of Dorcas Ann, how she was or what she was doind, tell your mother to try to advise her & what to do as she is young & unexperienced in domestic business. I have nothing much to write that will interest you. I suppose you are not married yet I think you had beter come over here & see some of our girls as we have some that could take you home & servent to wait on you, but I know you dont care for the servants but I would not let that be any objection. Mr Lynch is at home on Furlow now. As we are trying to make our living in an upright & honest way, it keeps us moving. Our wheat crop was nearly a failure & we have to by our seed wheat. & have you none to let us have for seed if its only 3 or 4 bushels it will help some as there was nearly a failure in this neighborhood so we cant get any over here.
Mr. Ledbetter told us that Mr Birk has a good crop of wheat & I want you to see him immediately & let us know if we cant get some see wheat from him. If its only 10 or 12 bushels it will be better than none. If we can get a few from one & few from an other we can get our seed we will pay you the silver & gold if you will be reasonable. I have a few dollars I will have to spend for wheat. You will please let me know immediately as Mr Ledbetter wants our waggon to go to Russell to take some things to Dorcas Ann, & if we can get the wheat we can bring it back in the waggon. we are verry busy plowing for wheat & if we fail to get seed it will be a great disappointment to us. You will please ascertain from Mr Birk what he will take in hard mony & your self if you have it to spare & write immediately & let us know what we can depend on. Tell Mr Birk he will do us a great favor to let us have some seed wheat & you the same if you have it to spare.
& I want you to do all you can to get it for us, as Mr Ledbetter will want the answer. Mr Ledbetter says he has such good wheat & seems to be almost certain we can get some from him.
You must come over & look at some of our girls any how I have been wanting to go over to Russell but it seems like I cant leave home to go that far. I want you to send me a peace of tree sugar to eat as I havent go a bit of tree sugar since I left Russell. We all join in love to you & family write soon your Friend.
Sallie K. Lynch
You will please write immediately & let us know on what terms we can get your wheat or if we can get it at all.
S. K. L.
you will excuse bad spelling & writing.
