January 8th 1863 
Propper Language and propper 
form adds greatly to a persons personal 
appearance and Should be practiced 
in common conversation as well as in 
writing; Therefore a person Should 
              Exact 
know the ^ meaning of every word they 
write and the propper place for it 
Children learn their first language 
from their parents I have often heard 
parents talking Silly impropper 
language to their Children and as the 
Children learn from their parents 
they will talk silly in Return; there 
fore it is nesessary to talk propper 
in the family Circle; I will Show 
you a few words you are in the habit 
of writing and Spelling; [crossed out] [Ofton, (Often)] 
Often not Ofton; Whole; the entire 
not Hole; going not goin 
Mother intends going to Springville 
not Mother is agoing to Springville 
I told him you was going 
Not; I told him you was a going 
I dont write this for the Sake of Scolding 
you or finding fault with your writing 
it is only intended to induce you to 
try and improve yourself when you can 
I am a bad Schollar myself and need 
to be taught Rather than to be a Teacher 
But all that I Know I informed my 
Self and I am Still Trying to learn 
a little every [crossed out] [a person] day; A person 
can learn useful Knowlege Just as 
easy as they can Simple nonsense if 
they have a disposition to Try; Though  
A little fun now and then 
Is Relished by the Best of men 
I dont know as I am mutch interested 
in Every bodies babies; or care who has 
Babies if they [crossed out] [can] want them and can take 
care of them; babies has been a common 
thing every Since the human family 
Began;  A man & Wife Should write and 
talk to Each other as if they were only 
[illegible] Jan 8th /63 
Neighbors; So far as unnecessary im 
prudent or [unimportants?] Language 
is concerned: As too mutch familiarity 
Becomes Stale and Disgusting 
Sister Elisabeth has been talking of 
writing to you so long that She has forgotten 
where to Direct a letter to you and asked 
me if you Still lived at Spring Hill yet 
and said if I would giver her your address 
She would write to you We have not 
been paid yet there is Six months pay 
due us now but if we are paid soon we 
will only get four months pay it is getting 
time we was paid and many of the soldiers 
does not like it verry well but I supose 
they will get more when they are paid 
I See By the Viroqua times that the 
      a 
County Bo^rd has passed an act for the 
County to pay two Dollars per month to the 
wife; of Each Volunteer in the Service 
of the United States and one Dollar per 
month for Each child of Said volulunteer 
under the age of Twelve years 
To take affect on and after the first 
day of January; The wife is Require to 
go Before a Justice of the peace and swear 
that She is the wife of a volunteer [etc?] 
So you can call on Mr Lowery for Three 
Dollars per month for you and the little 
one I Supose you have got that name 
I Sent before this time Tell John he 
must Excuse me for not writing to him this 
time this letter is too large, we have had 
considerable Rain lately the weather is 
cool enough to to be pleasent we heard 
that Capt Layne was in Memphis yesterday 
and will be here [crossed out] [this] on this afternoons 
Train   well I have written more 
this time than I meant when I com 
menced So I will close for the present 
Please To Write Soon 
Yours As Ever and Always 
        Thomas.J.Davis 
 
Lucinda.M.Davis