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Chardon (about 3 miles distant) and I are constantly engaged to each other, she at our house one Tuesday I at hers the next, and this is one of y

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happiest days I spend at Wappoo. Thursday the whole day except what the necessary affairs of the family take up, is spent in writing, either on the business of the plantations or on letters to my friends. Every other Friday, if no company, we go a vizeting, so that I go abroad once a week and no oftener.

Now you may form some judgment of what time I can have to work my lappets. I own I never go to them with a quite easy conscience as I know my father has an avertion to my employing my time in that boreing work, but they are begun, and must be finished, I hate to undertake anything and not go thro’ with it, but by way of relaxation from the other, I have begun a piece of work of a quicker sort, w

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requires neither eyes nor genius, at least not very good ones. Would you ever guess it to be a shrimp nett? for so it is.

O! I had like to forgot the last thing I have done a great while. I have planted a large figg orchard, with design to dry them, and export them. I have reckoned my expense and the profits to arise from those figgs, but was I to tell you how great an Estate I am to make this way, and how ’tis to be laid out, you would think me far gone in romance. Y

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good Uncle I know has long thought I have a fertile brain at scheming, I only confirm him in his opinion; but I own I love the vegitable world extreamly. I think it an innocent and useful amusement, and pray tell him if he laughs much at my projects, I never intend to have any hand in a silver mine, and he will understand as well as you, what I mean! Our best respects wait on him, and Mrs. Pinckney.

If my eyes dont deceive me, you in y

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last talk of coming very soon by water, to see how my oaks grow, is it really so, or only one of your unripe schemes. While ’tis in y

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head put it speedily into execution.

Lappets were fashionable parts of the headdresses worn at that time even by young girls, and one can read between her words that Eliza would have enjoyed giving more time to the feminine diversion of embroidery or fine sewing, much in vogue in that day, had her father approved of it. Then with a quick change of mood she shows her real interest in planting a “figg” orchard!–oh, many-sided Eliza!

There are numerous letters too long to include in this sketch, which show the girl’s religious, artistic and philosophical tendencies, and through them all we feel the quiet poise of a mind at rest, of a spirit in true harmony with the simplest pleasures of a simple life; and that nature was always her first love, is shown by this letter:

Wont you laugh at me if I tell you I am so busy in providing for Posterity I hardly allow myself time to Eat or sleep and can but just snatch a minute to write to you and a friend or two more.

I am making a large plantation of oaks w

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I look upon as my own property, whether my father gives me the land or not, and therefore I design many years hence when oaks are more valuable than they are now, w

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you know they will be when we come to build fleets, I intend I say, 2 thirds of the produce of my oaks for charrity, (I’ll let you know my scheme another time) and the other 3