Congressman Rutherford B. Hayes to Lucy Webb Hayes, November 30, 1865

WASHINGTON, November 30, 1865.

DEAREST:— My first writing in my own room at Washington is to you. My surroundings are so-so, viz.: This, the front room is about twenty-four by fifteen, has a new good carpet, a coal stove, coal bucket, and spittoon — stove of good pattern in front of a mantelpiece and fireplace like ours; black haircloth short sofa, one armchair and one large chair without arms, and six good chairs, all black haircloth and black walnut wood; one office armchair like ours in the parlor, a little marble-top table; the [wall-]paper of a large, old-fashioned pattern. The get-up of the house is all old-fashioned. A back room twenty by fifteen [with] cottage furniture and closets [and] one front and one back window. [My rooms are on the] first floor-left side, as you enter the house. Altogether pleasant enough.

Judge James and General Este next above me, and Colonel Rodney Mason, of unhappy military fame, in the third story (but a quiet good fellow they say). The [land] lady is a well-looking and [well-] tempered Secesh widow or grass-widow.

It will do for you, I think, though not the very nicest, but still nice enough.

My travelling companions were Mr. Clark of Batavia and his wife, — they have no family — (one daughter, married); Mr. Eggleston and Sands, and McKee, of Kentucky, with his wife, one sister, and a son. Good company. If you were here I would be all right. Love to all.

Affectionately ever, your

R.

MRS. HAYES.

SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 3, p. 5-6