h. Mr. Tomlinson talked very "straight"
to Pompey and others about their having no right to live on my land
without working for me at fair rates. He expressed his opinion very
freely about the fairness of our prices and told them they must go
and hunt up another home or work for us at these rates. I promised to
sign a "pass," which you can do for me, promising to Pompey or any
other man who works for us that as soon as he gets a piece of land of
his own, gets a deed of it, and gets it fenced in, we will sell him a
cow at cost, but I would not agree to allow their cows to run at large
on the plantation, and Mr. Tomlinson said I was perfectly right.
During the confab I overheard mutterings among the crowd such as "we
shan't get anything," "it's no use," etc., serving to convince me that
the whole subject would be quietly dropped unless stirred up by some
such men as J. H. and F. J. W. again. Considering the prospect of high
prices of molasses and bacon, etc., I think we may find it advisable
to pay fifty cents all summer for what we had promised forty. But
would do nothing about it till I have made my purchases of molasses,
etc., and know just how the thing will stand.

An unexpected danger in the shape of an epidemic of
small-pox made its appearance in the middle of the winter
and lasted for two or three months.

FROM H. W.

[_Jan. 29._] Mr. Philbrick vaccinated all the children here last year,
and the few cases we have had have been among those grown persons who
were vaccinated many years ago, and have all been very mild. It may
run through the place, but it is not likely to be violent, and the
quarters are too far off to expose us.

_Feb. 26._ Rose came up as usual, but had such hot fever that I sent
her home to add one more to the sick list there, where all but one
have "the Pox," taken from Hester. I expected Rose would not escape.
Moreover, Uncle Sam now has it, so Robert may give out in a few weeks;
but no one has been very ill, and no one yet has died here. It seems
to be a milder form than that which appeared at the Oaks and at Mr.
Eustis', where a number have died, or else they give them more air
here, which is I believe the fact. I do not go to the quarters now at
all. I can do no special good in going, and they send to me for what
they want.

[_March 21._] Monday morning just after breakfast Rose came into the
parlor with a funny expression on her face and asked me if I had been
into the k