Scranton Pa Feb 23rd 1870

 

Dear Brother

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I’m very much ashamed of myself that I’ve let so long a time elapse without writing to you. Letter writing is considerable of a task to me, and I let one excuse and another to allow me to put off from time to time what ought to be done, excuse or no excuse, till weeks grow into months and months almost into years, and then you get so few of my letters that I get altogether discouraged. I hope however you will get this so that you may feel assured that you are not forgotten. 

I enclose a “shadow” of your humble servant which I believe is a pretty correct resemblance of myself at the present time. I am not carrying on my photographic business myself now, but have let my Gallery, being at present provided for by “Uncle Samuel”, in the Revenue service. My pay is $4.00 a day, how long it may continue is uncertain. I hope till I get my property paid for, which will require two or three years. I think I wrote you thanking you for the use of the money that was in the hands of Lucius. 

I hope my gallery will yield me $500 or $600 a year in addition to my other pay, but I may be disappointed.

We have had a remarkably open winter here so far. We had a cold Fall and a rather wintery December, but since Christmas, till within four days, there has not been more than two days in succession of freezing weather.

Our mother has been quite sick but is now I believe in usual heath. All of our folks as far as I know are well. 

Mother is a good deal worried about your being so far away from civilized society. Do you have any nearer neighbors than when you wrote last? Do families begin to settle around you? There is some agitation of the question in the States of annexing Brittish Columbia to Uncle Sam’s dominion, “so mote it be.”

Please write to me immediately and don’t do as I do, put if off for a more convenient season.

Truly your Brother

George