Augusta: John Z. H. Rawlings to Alexander Brown,
August 10, 1860
Summary:
John Z. H. Rawlings describes a recent trip to Staunton in this letter to
Alexander Brown, a fellow student at the University of Virginia. During his
visit, Rawlings accidentally jumped out of a window at a party and injured his
leg. In addition to staying at the Cochran residence, Rawlings spent time at
Variety Springs with a hotel keeper he calls Mr. Burrell but who appears in the
Census as Charles Burress. Rawlings closes his letter by commanding his friend
to attend the Democratic Convention.
August 10th 1860
Charlottesville
Dear Sandy,
As I am confined to the house all the time, except before breakfast and after sundown, by Doctors Davis & Randolph, I'll occupy myself in writing to you.
I went over to Staunton soon after you left here, and
stayed with Mr Burrell a while, riding about in Augusta, we[deleted: s] stayed at Mr Jimmy Cochran's where George was [added: 1 night], there was a crowd of Girls there playing on
the piano, right up by the door; I was by the window, and wanted to get outdoors where the men w[deleted: as][added: ere], without going by the girls, I thought we
were on the first floor, so I jumped out of the window, but when I got to the
ground I found out I had jumped two stories and
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hurt my leg so I
could hardly walk. I went to another party, at Mr. Christians', where they
played Blind-Billy-Buff and blindfolded me most every time. I went to Variety
Springs where I saw [deleted: M] a lady looked like Miss Polly
Goodman's grandmother.
I stayed about three weeks in and about Staunton, when my health grew so bad that I had to come home and put myself under the doctors' charge.
I have to bathe my feet in some sort of acid every night; it is so strong that I got a little on my finder the other day and it has ate all the skin off
I have to take medicine three times a day. Billy Abell has gone to Dubique, Iowa. Frank Meade has gone to Clarke and there ain't but four boys in town Malcolm, Jimmy Davis, Jimmy Rawlings, and Otho Reyne.
Ten of the old boys and the two Slinks are going to Berkley.
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I won't go to school next year. I don't know yet what I'll do. Old Clay is well and sends
his love to all inquiring friends. Write soon and
let me know whether you are [deleted: g] coming down here to school
next session. You had better come down to the Democratic Conventiaon, and stay
with,
Your Old Deskmate,
John Z H Rawlings
A. Brown
Lynchburg
Virginia
