Scranton Pa July 11 /65

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Dear Brother

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Learning from a letter from you to Mary that you are again in Kamloops I write once more to you, hoping against hope to receive something in reply. I can’t tell now the time when I received a letter from you - certainly not within four or five years - come to think it is more than six years, before our father died. I almost despair of ever hearing direct from you again. I have written I suppose twenty letters in the mean time and am pretty much discouraged.

Not knowing whether you have received my letters, I will repeat some things that I have already written more than once. First Tim Parsons has returned to Franklin - whether there now or not, I can’t tell. If you have never had any settlement with him for those horses, you might write to Lucius to get him to attend to it.

Second, I should like to get the use of that money you sent Lucius if you are willing, I don’t think he needs it, for he has paid for his farm and got several hundred dollars in Uncle Sam’s 7-30th. I think it would be perfectly safe with me, for I should use it in building me a house on a lot I’ve bought. I have property more than sufficient to pay all my debts and my life insured for $1000.00. I am more than paying my yearly expenses in my business - saving last year some $400.00.

If you don’t get a letter from some of the rest of them before you get this, my epistle will be the bearer of, I dare say, some unexpected news. Lucius “has gone and done it” been getting married. Do you remember “Nate” Potter that used to live at Nathan Birdsall’s, and got you Lucius, Walter and Judah Swift thrashed once? Well it is his daughter.

I don’t know as I have anything particular to write of the rest of them, they are all well as far as I know. Our mother is getting old and probably will not last much longer. If you can make up your mind to come east again before she goes the way of all the earth it would be a source of great comfort to her and a pleasure to us all. I think it would be better for yourself than to be roving about, “a rolling stone gathers no moss” you know.

A year ago last Christmas we lost a dear little boy, nearly three years old, one of the handsomest and brightest children I ever knew. We were proud of his extraordinary attractions and God took him to himself. He had been sick but was slowly recovering. We had no apprehension of a fatal result till a very short time before he died, and even then so little, that all in the house except myself were asleep, Suddenly he apparently choked and before I could waken his mother he was gone. Beautiful in life he had been, and most beautiful he remained in death.

If you get this please write to me immediately.

Truly your brother

George