Otego Nov 15th, 68

​

My Dear Brother

​

We were all excessively glad to hear from you and to hear that you were alive and well but it made our hearts ache to think that you were so far away and with so little society and no reading scarcely. I think you must be very lonely indeed. How I wish you had some of our papers to read. Our folks are about as well as common. Lucius’ health is rather poor and I am sometimes afraid that his time on earth is short. Ma is about as well as common. George, his little boy, is not a healthy child. I think it a great chance if they ever raise him. O well how much better off he would be to go now than to live till his soul is stained with sin for we know the good shepherd loves the little children for when he was here on earth he took them in his arms and blessed them and said suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the kingdom of heaven. Our cousin Erastes Fuller is dead and so is Emily Benedict. Brother, I want to see you very much indeed. How I wish you could sell out and come east of the rocky mountains then I would think I should see you sometime and I hope I shall see you before many years roll round. I dream of seeing you again in the flesh. It may be all a dream but I hope not. If we never do meet here on earth I do hope to meet you on the banks of that beautiful river that flows by the throne of God. If you should come home now you would hardly know the place. The railroad has done a good deal to build up Otego. The folks here think this is the hub. You have to almost cover the land with dollars to buy. Building lots cost two or three hundred dollars. Don’t you think that is up pretty well. They have a paper started, it is called the Otego Record. There has been a great many changes since you left buy few of the old inhabitants are left. Some are sleeping their last sleep and others have gone west. We expect Mary and her family home soon. We hope they will make a good long visit but they will find a change, it is not our father’s house. It won’t seem much like home and our neighbors are different. Crandall and Houghton are left, the rest are all gone. Mrs. Tracy has been west but she is back here. I don’t know where she is living. 

Good bye

Tempe

 

Please write soon. Did you ever get my photograph. If you did not I will send it again. Please write something for our paper.