Mr. Smith said you had written him in regard to your copyrightAs Written:copy right, but he is very busy but he had a friend who would know all about it as he is a lawyer, and he could turn it over to him; I did not think it would pay for him to incur a lawyer’s bill, so I told him you had written to me & I had been to see about it and had written you,— the fact is they would tell me just as much about it at the the Librarian’s officeEditorial Note: This is likely a reference to the Library of Congress. as they would him, and it would be all nonsense to pay a lawyer to go there for all he could do in the matter.

Spofford has a relation here who is proprietor of a large hotel. “The Riggs HouseEditorial Note: The Riggs House was an elegant hotel managed by Caleb W. Spofford, which was frequented by some high-profile figures of the time, such as Presidents Garfield and Harrison, and women's suffragists, such as Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.,” he sent them one of your books several years ago and Mrs. Spofford loaned that book to Mrs. Smith and that was the self same book that they read when Mr. Smith was healed. Mrs. Smith has a servant who has been with her 13 years and suffering from a complication of old chronic beliefs. I have been treating her and Mrs. Smith told me that it was a perfect miracle how HattieEditorial Note: Hattie was likely Harriet Briscoe, a servant in the household of Eldridge J. Smith and Melinda H. Smith in Washington, D.C. had gained in her health and spirits, that she seems like another person, but she does not say anything about pay,— I was asked to go to see a sick colored woman, she is within a few weeks of confinementEditorial Note: Confinement is an archaic term referring to the time just before and during childbirth., is very weak her feet terribly swollenAs Written:swolen, she has a great deal of cramps in her stomach and bowels followed by a sort of diarrhea and her bowels are sore or inflamed it is with great difficulty that she can get about at all cannot wait or herself, her little girl about 10 years old has chills and fever, her husband is sick but not so badly off as she is; now comes the cause, he told me directly that he knew, he did not think but he knew that somebody was making them sick, it is a girl and she has been to work ever since they were married two years ago, trying to separate him and his wife and now is making them sick.— his wife said she did not believe such things at first but now she thinks she will be obliged to, one night she was sitting up for him to come home and she saw the likeness of this girl and some others come into her room as if they would stand between her and her husband, she knew it was not them in reality (or materially) and she never believed in such sights but she thinks they mean to kill her, this girl has got an old “conjurer” to help her. they want me to break this “spell.” I told them to do as near right in every thing as they could and not allow even a bad thought to get into their minds and we would see what power God had over evil. I think this is a clear case of mesmerism do you think it is a case of poisoningAs Written:poisining? I would be glad to release this poor distressed family from this demon. they appear to belong to the better class of colored people. Had I better undertake it? Please do write soon as you can and advise me.— this woman was attended by an Allopathic Dr. he said she had a malarial fever at first—she has given up taking his medicine, says it does her no good— I guess you think I am asking a great many questions but so many different things come up and I want to overcome all the difficulties. then I am not fully fledged yet, and I know my dear mother bird will guide me in my fluttering efforts until I can soar on the pinions of Truth far above all the material clogs that now darken and obstruct my progress.—