Letter
Letter from RE Lee to Mary Lee dated 1839

Transcript:
St. Louis 3rd Nov 1839
I have read, my dear Mary, your letter of the 21st announcing the death of our dear cousin Angela. That is a sad event indeed and will be deeply mourned by many. She has left a world filled with unhappiness to enjoy. I trust perpetual _____, we have are dismal faces of sorrow and ____ to regret at our departure. I agree with you in wishing that we maybe ready when summoned. It will be a terrible blow to her father and mother and I hope they will stay quietly this winter in VA. The only pleasure I _____ ____ by my tour down the river was the probability of my seeing her sorrow that is destroyed. I shall entirely ___ Mr. and Mrs. Butler if I can, but that is uncertain, as I do not know where they live and it might detain me longer than I could spare. I never _________ a journey with such regret or undertook a service with such _______ in my life, and both these feelings ____ every day. The hope that I have been indulging of escaping it becomes daily more faint, and my _____ to join you becomes stronger. However when the die is cast, and it becomes certain that it must be undertaken, I hope I shall ______ a change. It is the _______ ____ causes these vain regrets and useful refinings. I have _______ all my business here except ____ _____ to accompany my annual ____, which I trust will be finished this week after which I shall leave in the fist ____. Mr. Blifs got off 2 days since in high glee. He4 has attempted to go up the river, but unless the rains that we have had here have extended in that direction he will have a long and tedious _____. The river is very low and a gentleman arrives here the day after his departure that had been 3 weeks from _______, I hope he will have better luck. As to our furniture, the ladies have _____ the whole among them. One is to take our ____ and ___ another. I would rather have stored it all together when wanted, but the fashion was set this spring, and they all put in their applications a month ____ which I could not refuse. I was not to return for to obtain similar articles ____ cost ____ much as these would sell for. I have not seen any of your wardrobe. The books, blankets and I shall pack up in this big ____ again, and they will be ready to be ____ _____ required. This is a terrible kind of life we lead Molly,
Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial, ARHO 3700
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