[draft] Bro[c]kline April 31st 1777 - My dearest dear friend - In what words shall I convey an idea to my Harry how dear he is to me or how much I want to see him - indeed indeed we must not live so - I am unhappy - and that I am sure will make my H - so - join with me my love, in humble gratitude to him who hath preserved your Lucy and her sweet babe: and thus far carried them thro the Small pox - no person [struck: were] [inserted: was] ever more highly favored than I have been since it came out - but before for three days - I suffered exceedingly - I have [inserted: more than] two hundred of them - twenty in my face - which is four times as many as you bid me have - but I believe none of them will leave a mark - Lucy has but one - and has not had an Ill hour with it - both hers and mine have turned and are drying away - and now for a jaunt to Morristown - what hinders my coming with Peter - only think my love of his being absent all this time - he writes me he has no prospect of returning soon nor do I know how to manage upon my return - [Munson?] (who prevailed upon my compassion to take him back) has inlisted - nor is there a man to be hired under 10 dollars a month - Boys are not to be had as they can earn much more by working in the forts - and standing ocasional centrys in short I am in a very disagreable Situation - and unless - you will take me under your wing I know not what will [strikeout] become of me I thank you ten thousand times for your kind letters eaight of which I have received - but alas - not one encouraging word of meeting soon [2] I must describe the place I am in at present - it is called an officers room and is to be sure some degrees better than the common ones - when I first came which was last Wednesday - it was enlightened by one chearful window of about 2 foot square - but it was glass - there were two others of boards which were some bigger - neither clabboards upon the outside nor plaistering within - but a few rough plank was my gaurd from the weather - which answered very well when the wind was calm - two soals of old showes served for hinges [struck: upon] the door on which was cha[lked?] - the cloven footed gentleman upon his head - in short I was never so horror struck in my life - but presuming upon my connection with the military sent for the barrack master who gave orders that the carpenters should obey my directions by which means I am much more comfortable - I have no glass but from the feel of my face I am almost glad you do not see it - I dont beleive I should get one kiss - and yet Dr tells me it is very becoming [he?] the Dr. has been very kind and attentive for which I desire you will write him a letter of thanks - and not call me by the formal name of Mrs K - I want an answer to a very saucy letter I wrote you before I was sick by a Mr Spooner - wherein I returned you a part of one of yours - for an explanation - what you meant by it I cannot [strikeout] tell - unless it was to rally me upon a subject which is too delicate to be played with - I have just come from a scene my Harry which has roused my very soul - in gratitude to my bountiful benefactor [3] a man who was inoculated at [inserted: or about] the time I was lay in the last agonies his pock proved the purple sort - and he poor soul must die - his brother had just arrived from his wife, who was near laying in - and very impatient for his return - and as a proof of her affection - had sent him some good things such as he might venture to eat - he sent for Mr Gardiner (who is in the next room to me) to make his will - and I had curiosity to go - he is just now dead - what a stroke will it be to that poor miserable woman - but oh my God my own situation will not bear reflection - how do I know to what the dear partener of my Soul is at this minet exposed - indeed my Harry I am serious, I cannot live at this distance from you - what has become of Springfield - have you no prospect you sure are not indifferent about it - if you are you are greatly altered since You parted from your LK [docket] Mrs. Lucy Knox Apr: 31st 1777