Julia [A. Wilbur] ALS to [Anna M. C.] Barnes, March 10, 1863

Alex. Mary. 10th 1863

Dear Mrs. Barnes,

The box & barrel arrived all safe
last Saturday evening. I opened them yesterday morning.
The shawls & the women's dresses had been anxiously looked
for by a great many persons. I could sell 100 women's dresses
right off & 20 more shawls. "Aunt Mary" wanted 2 Sunday dresses
There was but one for her, she took the Alpacca for $3.00. Several persons
wanted it, but she spoke for it first. the new calico dress was an aggravation
as only one cd. have it. There were 3 or 4 old dresses in the barrel, & two
of these must go to small pox women. 3 or 4 summer dresses is all I have
now & Mrs. Jacobs has none. She expects some soon. She received new plaid
linsey & striped cotton mostly, & some of the women won't look at
them hardly & say "they never wear linsey." In some of her first boxes
there were skirts & sacks of a gray cloth, the worst looking stuff I ever saw,
some wd'nt take it as a gift. She has told them not to send any more of
that kind. Some of the dresses in the Phila. boxes are so narrow that they
cannot be worn over hoops, & are so far behind the times that these people
wont buy them. All the dresses sent to me are such as white folks
wear, & I can dispense of them at once. Those gray sacks that you sent
they don't fancy. Every thing else that I have had goes off readily.
I have given these away except 3 that I have yet. - I wish somebody wd. send
aprons, & think I cd. sell a good many for as much as they might cost you.
They wd. like gingham, or some thing stout for working. There has been such
a call for shawls & dresses, & I have kept putting them off. I wish you
could have seen the rush to day. I disposed of 110 pieces. This