18 N. Braddock St.,

Winchester, Va.

Nov. 17/08

 

Dear Luther:

            The work of a-to-be-famous Author greeted me by mail yesterday morning & after my surprise at seeing that you are really an author had slightly abated I wanted to write immediately to ask the price, which you forgot to give in showing it to friends.

 

To say that I am intensely interested in your boy-story of the war is putting it mildly and I wanted at once to show it to my brother Few who will almost go back with you to his boyhood days, those war-days, so / dear in memory to him, that I felt it was almost selfish in me not to give it to him to read first. If it had not been for my illness of six weeks just past and my consequent weakness in recuperating from an attack of lung fever, which keeps me a great part of the time in my room still, tho' I have been as far as the bank one day—but had to ask my neighbor's colored cook for her arm to help me back, as I would not lean on sister Emma's, (who would not allow me to walk out alone)—and feeling that this book had just come in time to help me back to more pleasure in my work, which I would not, & felt that I could not neglect, even when I had most fever, tho' my physician forbade it, I would have had Few take it home / last night. While I am unable to do so, Emma is so interested she has already laid her plans to take your book to some of our war veterans; so you may send me a copy with price for that purpose, and mine shall go too, with pleasure, to the "Evening Star and Winchester News" office to our famous R. E. Byrd's son to review: or perhaps you had better send a copy to him, or better still to R. Gray Williams who is still a younger man than you, whose father was Capt. John J. Williams of Confederate memory. He assists Harry Byrd at times, and is a lawyer & one of our city officials, who tries to instill into young boys' minds the true history of our war. I think he would be the one. Emma will / show him my copy if you do not send him one as soon as she is able to go. She and Nell are kept so busy trying to build me up, that they can accomplish little else just now.

 

Friends & other blessings are innumerable. I tried to count the number of persons & their kind remembrances to tempt my appetite &c, and am hardly able.

 

Give much love to my precious Kittie & yr boy and that fine daughter. I enjoyed a little ½ hr. with Kate, and it was too short to say what I wanted to say.

 

            With heartfelt thanks for yr most interesting story,

 

                        As ever yr friend & cousin

                                    Fannie O. Brown

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