December 10 1860
We came up very nicely on the 3d Mr Grimball Ella Lotty Harry & Racky, the sky terrier, a most intelligent and affectionate little dog. When Lewis was in Liverpool, Bob Miller gave him this puppy, & he brought it home, we are all attached to her, and she enjoys the change as much as any of us.—I am to keep her until Lewis marries, then his wife, if fond of Dogs, is to take her.
John is as happy as a child and so much like a child that I agree with Lewis in thinking the only change in him is that he has grown, he enjoys a joke & makes fun but—he is terribly obstinate, which is an ascertained fact—consequently when John says he wont do anything I dont like to interfere. Lewis has come to the conclusion that his prospects up here are not worth anything, his practise is pretty much a family affair, and not at all progressive, on the contrary, the life of several old people would close it, except at home, his Grandfather and Mrs Wayne, so he intends going to Charleston and attending Medical Lectures, and practising there. So there is every prospect of our having the 6 boys at home next summer. I think I shall take a travel off somewhere, & relieve myself of the Housekeeping. I have been trying to persuade Berkly to got married, he has been set up with 5 thousand dollars, he had saved 1 thousand himself, and is so saving I suppose he will soon have 10 thousand: and I am afraid be a miser too; which is hateful. I wish some of them could get married and settled off.— Elizabeth has of course to wait until a good offer comes, but the boys can ask.—
Mr W. Heyward has promised us a visit, and now that the house has got fixed, I shall be very glad for him to come. Lewis tells me Mrs Bulo laughed a great deal about her visit up here, and the manner in which Mrs Manigault & Mrs Grimball were taken in by her. She is not a nice person, I am afraid much of the scandal retailed about her, is true. She had very little to do with me, but was much thrown with Charlotte, riding with her on horseback, &c. Papa paid the 4 thousand to the Factors that Charles owed them.
We came up in the cars with Major Wharley and his new young wife, an English lady, & her baby, she is much taller than her old husband; and looks like his daughter; she was poor, or I am sure she could never have married that blear-eyed old creature.