[41]
Clear creek Iowa April the 20th 1864
Dear Sister
It seems strange that there is no acceptable a medium as pen
and ink for the transmission of thought and intelligence between friends
that it is not more frequently resorted to especially in the time of trouble
when almost everyone has [?] and dear friends surrounded by perils [?]
i received a letter from you some two months since but at that time i was
very sick and for several weeks was seldom able to be out of bed and when
i could be up there was do many things to attend to and a fretful baby nearby
always in my arms that although i have commenced writing to you several
times i never got a letter finished i am much better now although far from
being well, doctors say it is liver complications. i have had the jaundice
this spring and have been a bright yellow color Eli says if [?] yellow would
to be in a [?] as he would have [?] taken for you i dont consider it much
of a joke my self but enough on that subject.
May the 1st. Sunday Morning
Nellie i wont waist anymore paper but [?] writing on [?] another
month if i dont get it finished soon but i was going to tell you that
we have just received your dear good kind interesting letter of the18th
we were very glad in deed to see that the boys were getting along so fine
and of Simpson promotion Major Edwards, that sounds quite large and it
why i feel real proud over it myself success to them all and god [?] that
we may never hear worse news i have been almost dreading to get a letter
for fear the news would be bad but you write so cheerful it has done me
good although we were very sorry to hear of George Mcfearsons death, our
neighborhood has been quite lively for the last two weeks the vetterens
are home on furlough and the friends are trying to make the time pass
us pleasantly as possible for them their is a supper get up every few
evenings in which nearly all the neighbors join last night we gave them
a supper at the schoolhouse and presented a flaghad a nice time
This morning [?] [?] [?] our little
folkes for sunday school for the first time this spring it is quite a
job to get them all ready and i feel tired enough to go to bed but here
is Ida [?] [?] with no [?] of letting me rest or write either in [?] Annie
was [?] [?] in the crowd getting ready for school but her main object
was to show her new hat and shoes she is the merriest little mortal you
ever saw but not now so pretty as [?] a babe she is growing to be a great
fat dutch looking girl Ida has always been rather a delicate child [?]
the pit and plaything of the family we intended to have had all the childrens
miniatures taken to send to you before this but it has been such a disagreeable
winter and i have been sick so much that we could not take them to town
but [?] [?] i will have them taken as soon as posible for [?] and while
i am writing on the subject i want to ask you if there is any posible
chance for me to get Simpsons and Williams in their uniforms i will pay
all expenses and be so much obliged if you will get them for me i must
go to meeting now to night
i want to write a long letter to mother Brooks and [?] as
soon as i can i feel realy ashamed that we have neglected it so long i
have still thought Eli would write but i cant get him at it although he
has got to be a [?] [?] talker he will not write a letter
Sunday night
home from church heard a good sermon and saw three newmade
brides and grooms all soldiers the girls appeared to be doing there best
to tie to soldiers while they have the chance rather a foolish thing i
think but every one to there own notion
please excuse me Nellie i didnt mean you
our family is in usual health Eli is [?] [?] of sore throat
could not sing much this evening. we are getting along in worldly affairs
pretty much as usual not getting rich very fast [?] [?] [?] paying 45
cents a yard for muslin & 30 for [?] and other things in proportion with
such a family as ours to buy for looks rather [?] Elis sheep business
is not paying he has bought corn all winter to feed them at 50 cents [?]
[?] and has lost over a hundred this spring if he would only quit trying
to speculate for which i am sure has no abilitie and to go to farming
right we could do well here for we do have an excelent farm but instead
having anything to sell we are buying all we live on i get out of heart
sometimes when i think of the way things are going but at other times
i take a different view of the matter and feel that i am a most ungrateful
creature to complain when i have a peaceful home pleasant neighbors a
[?] healthy merry children and above all a [?] of a [?] in heaven when
life and its troubles are over
O Nellie let us try to live so that should we never meet on
earth we may spend a happy eternity together i feel like more to you to
night but perhaps have already written more than will embrace you and
it is bed time all the family are in bed but baby she never goes tell
i do and i have her in my arms while i write [?] [?] put in words when
they are missing and write just as soon as posible Mary E Brooks
Nellie do write soon if it is only a few lines and let us know what news
from the boys
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