James' Mother has a stroke, Heavy snow kills livestock

Wythe Cty Va
March 30

Mr James T. Gleaves
Richmond
Virginia

Cripplecreek (torn) March 27 183(torn)

My dear James,

I received your letter of the 7 of March (torn) with pleasure hearing you ware well for I deem it the greatest (torn) ___th but I am sorry to have to write to you the unpleas(ant?? torn) news of your Mothers bad health she was as well as com-mon on Monday eat her breakfast as usual and I went to the kitchen and left Pery in the house to sweep after breakfast I suppose I was gone about 15 minutes when I came in she was sitting by the fire a soon as I came to the door I saw a change in her I spoke to her but she did not know me she appeared to have a chil I used every means to get her warm and as soon as the chill left she talk rationale as before I think she had a slite stroke & palsey she was very much ____ during the chil continues very weak and I am afraid will never be any better and I should be glad if it please God to spare her and you to see each other again don't be uneasy for fear that she wont be attended to for I will do all I can for her satisfaction
The rest of the family are all well I did not expect to write to write to you again for I expected to have the pleasure of seeing you at home by this time my Dear I have some new news to write but what you have heard C.L.C. and L.L.Y. are candidates and what little I learn Yost will beat him
John Ewing is waiting for you and expected you home by ___ to attend to the estate of his father but he will be disappointed and I don't know how he will manage Well ther was one of the deepest snows fell last saturd(ay) and Sunday that I have ever seen and it was tring (trying?) on hogs and lambs and I had

(top of page torn off)
lambs were all dead but about 13 the young mare that I mentioned in my last letter was sick Died and (torn) after she was opened that the bats killed her they had ea(torn) naw through and I never saw such quantities of gr(torn) in that brutes stomach as I had every reason to believe (torn) taken care of the stock all does well old Sal has a very good colt and we have 6 fine calves and about 27 pigs 3 sows had pigs and the(y) looked like they had not come to the rite time and they all died and I know it was not from want of care they were all in different pens and it don't fret me the boys are sowing oats very busy at this time the snow hindered them a week from plowing
I have had the plaster (pasture) sowed on the wheat this week and the timothy seed sown and some carden (garden) made Mrs Piper has not got home yet or had not last Sunday Samuel was in town last week and enquired for your trunk and the inn keepers said there were none left there yet and I suppose the Mrs Piper had the trunk safed were she did as she had the key and I have not heard were she is
James we are trying to do the best we can and I don't expect any big things when you get home if you to you will miss it I want you to try to get home in time to drop corn ____ and write to me in answer to this if you have any idea where you will send Samuel to school sow that I can make some preparations to both (cloth) him Peter Yonce has finished his rails and I hear that Cruger is making at his but I have not spoken to them about this for over a month

I don't (torn) much about finery (torn) you get me a colar if you are not ___ get some (torn) that is I want fashionable cloths what I do have and you say that you (torn) not do any thing with my old juelery (jewelry) I wan you (torn) can to get me ____ pin made out of my old (torn) that Mama gave me the gold that is in it I want to keep and have it set with black sets and the other two you can get the pins fixed and bring home I don't know of anything more at present that concerns you John talks of starting to Tennessee in a few days and I expect he will be intend on going on the stage and expect to bring his child back with him but it is not my opinion that he will get it to bring The children all want to see you and your mother expresses a desire to see you John Crockett desires to be remembered to you and and would be glad to see you before he leaves
No more but make fast home

Malvina Gleaves
Write as soon as you receive this