Letter, James R. Smith to William T. Lenoir; 7/14/1857

              Sandersville  14th July 1857 -
Dear Will -
          Your letter was recd some weeks ago and ought to have been answered, but I have been quite busy and have not been able to keep up my correspondence. You will excuse me this time as I promise to do better in future. As you may suppose my profession keeps me well employed, and although I sometimes feel that its fatigues are greater than I can bear yet, I would scarcely desire to have them less while so many are dependent upon me. It is bad to have too much, it is worse to have nothing to do, and as I expect to be compelled to labour while I live, I feel perfectly content with that alotment which while it requires me to work at the same time provides the work for me.
    For some weeks past Typhoid Dysentery has been prevailing in some sections of our county with unprecedented fatality. In one neighborhood I hear of sixteen deaths. It has as yet been confined to neighborhoods remote from town.
    My family are not well my Daughter Theodosia Long, has been confined to the house for some weeks with a sore foot and fever.