Matthew Gage to Dr. Jerrie Sanders (2 January 1859)

              Jan 2nd 1859 )
Jerrie Sanders )
Sir )
I have thought just now of 
writing you a line as a few leisure moments present and am at 
a loss for subject of interest to write as nothing has transpired 
in this part of the earth.  You rather complain of my seeming 
negligence in writing you but hurry to bustle must plead the 
only apology, as it proceeds from no other cause.  I have more 
of this sort of thing to attend to than I can do, having 
various correspondants outside the family and [?] my 
merchand N.O. to write weekly and I may add recently 
almost daily notwithstanding our present R Road facilities 
I feel less disposition as I grow more disqualified from 
sight and consequently writing is more a task than formally 
and therefore less a pleasure.)
I have succeded pretty well 
in my cotton crop making upwards of 100 bales nearly all from 
pack & pick and delivered and 67 bales sold as 
at satisfactory prices ranging from 12 1/4 to 12 1/2 cts would 
brave been done but for want of bailing & rope.)
Have lost boy Bill 
of which I wrote John that you have doubtless learned 
He I suppose must have injured himself in making the 
race before the days in which he was taken. did suddenly 
two weeks thereafter in an attack of say 2 1/2 hours when 
I was absent to the Depot."
Jerrie left on the Cars morning for Oxford via 
Vicksburg (Miss.); a much more pleasant trip than by R.R. and stage