Manuscript letter — account of Mrs. Milliken's final illness and death; to her daughter Mollie

Mrs Walker & Auntie have not left undone the slightest thing that [love?] could suggest. She died at 8 o’clock the morning after, comforting her sweet face & arranging every thing as for the North— wished it had been their [lot?]. Still [it was?] an earnest wish to remain in the house with desolate hearts a while at least. I came [home?] [taken?] [out?] of their influence for [a day?] to Aunt Kate’s & to you & [filled?] with Mrs Walker & we write [the?] arrangements. And [we] know nothing of any [father?] [or even?] [had?] [little or no rest?] […] & [send?] […] every [happier?] […] in any little […] […] like a fearful dream — & [thought?] of the sorrow [for?] [you?] as a fortnight comes to we who have watched & tended [her?]. […] with the heavy [load?] [you?] will […] [know?]. Mrs Walker has not had her […] […] it is too much upon [her?] — […] in a day or two she will […] and [send?] most affectionate love to you. […] her thoughts have been […] faith & for you […] be the fullest sense of the word […] wrote to your dear Aunt […] [send?] them again clothes […] since I wish before [her?] to write to you in this recent […] our [crowning?] [meandering?] [she?] begs me to give Mollie all […] was at her side all the time […] [the?] […] [as?] if she were her Sister she [praises?] […] dear [Mollie?] I [send?]

Auntie sends her love to you, [days?] [that?] she has been a Sister as she knows how to be & shows all to the last for your [dear?] [faithful?] & Uncle Eddie whom Mrs Northrop has asked to make the necessary arrangements for the funeral, since [she past?] [paid?] for her sake & ours. She […] [&?] [promise?] you to do all his Saturday at 5 o’clock as far as [we can?] […] he buried tomorrow her wish & her remains will […] because he will fulfill is so much satisfied that [we are?] their oath, but he God bless you my darling. [Remember?] heard nothing yet [from?] still contains a Sister’s [heart?] Charleston […] most […] love us but […] […] your aunt & you […] bond that nothing can [break?] […] […] Spirit be […] to “Aunt Kate’s” tonight again I must write a [note?] Mollie God will comfort you. Good Bye Mollie […] [only can?]

[Right margin, written vertically:] Wednesday morning

[The remaining lines below are written perpendicular to the main text — the page rotated 90°, “crossed” continuation in the same hand. Reading with the page turned:]

[She continued a?] little better & continued [so?] on Sunday, when the Doctors thought [it?] inflammation of the Kidneys [—?] from Sunday on Wednesday Tuesday [there was?] a great change in her — Dr Moultrie [&] Dr Bellinger [were?] [in?] [attendance every?] day — from this time Auntie [stayed at?] her side; she expressed great [pain?] frequently, [said?] that she should [die?] [her eyes?] sunken & dark lines about [her —?] symptoms of inflammation. [Then?] the physicians gave up all [hope of?] consciousness until within a [day or two of her death?] Dr Bellinger told her on [the day she would?] die — it was out of human skill — she took Mrs Walker’s hand [and?]

[Mrs?] Walker came over, having [scolded?] her for not letting us [know?]; all day she was making [—?] [she would?] spend some time with her, [her sickness?] in a jesting tone with [—?] I ever have known her use [the word?] “weak indeed” — I went home [&?] remained all night, but slept [little?] [Mrs?] Walker went home, but returned — this day she had another [hemorrhage?] — a great […] Mrs Walker was there & said she [would?] [stay?] [up?] all night, & she remained, in case of her needing [&?] [sat?] up with her that night — […] the same Thursday night [her?] children leaving Auntie, that [she had a?] hemorrage & became very weak […]