Matthew Gage to Mary Gage (18 September 1850)

              Sept. 18th 1850 )
Dear Mary,)
Your favor of Septr 10th is just 
to hand - and with pleasure resume my pen by way of dropping 
you a line in answer - which I confess I should have done long 
since in compliance with my promise to write you when I last saw you 
in reference to writing Mr. Wear.  This I trust will prove satisfactory 
when I assure you it has not grown out of want of affection - but 
purely from habit of negligence - being one of the laziest correspondents.)
In relation to your friends and family I have nothing new to 
write you having met with neither unexpected prosperity or Providential 
misfortune since you left us.  So you will perceive us continue in 
the even terror of our old ways.  I may tell you for the last 
past ten days we have had a Protracted meeting in Richland - 
and many joined the church - say 20 & upwards and were baptized - of 
the number many of your acquaintances -  was a regular attendant 
myself and trust by proper cultivation - that I now enjoy some moral 
impressions that may tend largely to my future prosperity & happiness.)
Hoping as ever for your prosperity and welfare - allow me to 
suggest to you the properiety of the early cultivation of this kind 
- tending as the greatest ornament to our lives & character both here & 
hereafter in my humble opinion and offering more peace & happiness 
than all else on earth combined.  Let this suffice for the present.)
On looking over your letter I was much pleased to find 
your report still favorable as to your school or in other words 
that Eudocia was again itself - prosperous - and with the united 
efforts of its able and worthy Professors - my old friends Wear & Holt it 
will succeed." You tell me you have taken up the study