Waverly Apr 23d 1865

Dear Wife

I have recd two letters from you last week both receipting the money sent. I am very much pained at the last one with the report of your disease as I had hoped and had reason to expect by the reports of other Drs that you could be helped. I have no patience to think of Drs Bullard Skinner or Currie especially Currie they have studied and practiced to but little purpose if they dont know any more of the human system than they have shown in your case. as for Dr Rodgers it is a mere matter of faith no tangible proof of his powers can be had his failure to tell the nature of your disease does not surprise me but Currie as I wrote before ought to be prosecuted.

I am glad you are so calm and can write so calmly when you think your case is so hopeless, and hope you will have strength to continue so.

Dont worry about the children or about me; the only cause you have to worry about them is this Terrible Legacy. you have inherited from your mother and have left to your children I dont know where your Mother got it, but it is worse than Murder for any one knowing they have Cancerous tumors inherited or otherwise to marry and have children; for the "sins of the Fathers are visited on the heads of their children" with a vengeance.

Rum dont entail the worst curses on children there in the world if it does I am very much mistaken, but this is a case you are not to blame for and I dont wish to have you take this strong talk as blaming you in any sence of the word. but you will be to blame if you worry about the future welfare of your children so far as the common events of life are concerned the day is past for Orphans to starve or freeze and morally they do as well as other children in my judgement; in 39 years of life; If you are comfortably situated wont it be best for you to stay where you are for a few weeks? I will wait till I get an answer from this then I will go to S.R. and take you home if you wish Money we have got to have, and just now we are having a good run of water, and probably I can make good pay for a short time, Pease writes me there is nothing doing at E. business is stagnant and he is jobbing about the house I expect work will get dull here soon then will be the time to leave. I demand one thing that you will let no one know that I am going east or anything about it, my arm got better then I let down a stitch in my back but have kept at work with much tribulation. if it had been any work but stand up work I would have to lay by.

I think the Country will stand even with the great loss of the President. it takes a very great man to make a perceptible hole among the millions of the world; when one dies there is two ready to take the place. Folks made a great blow because Johnson got drunk but drunk or sober he is better than those who railed at him and demanded his resignation so loudly it is amusing to see with what facility these amusing good folks eat their words and lick their own spittle now he is President. we had a 36 hour snowstorm thursday and it is not gone yet. the spring is very late again. I charge you not to worry about no one it is more appropriate for others to worry about you it is about time for you to leave off borrowing trouble

Yours &c C Shedd