Letter, Alex W. Feemster to Loulie Feemster; 8/20/1864

              Selma Ala. Saturday night Aug 20th [1864]
   Mrs. M. Lou Feemster;
                        My Dear Wife;
                                     I rec'd a telegram at 10 oclock on the 16th dated on the 15th, from you, stating simply "Mattie is sick, symptoms like Henry's."  At noon of the same day I dispatched you inquiring "Is Mattie dangerous?  Must I come?" and have been at the telegraph office I suppose a dozen times, and they said they had sent two or three office dispatches in reference to it, and still I can get no reply.  I wrote you on Wednesday, and still have no letter.  My anxiety and perplexity have been such that I have [tear] able to do any work this week out of the office.  If you and Mattie are in a condition that you can do so, do come on home, if you have not made your arrangements to stay some where else.  The room has had to be kept shut up so closely during all this warm, wet weather that every thing in it seems like it is rotting for want of ventilation.  The bedbugs are getting such a start of me that I'll soon have to rent out to them or some one