Otego Oct 30th ‘70

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Dear Brother

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I have been thinking about writing to you ever since I received your very welcome letter but you can’t think what a mountain it looks to me to write. I’ve been so lifeless the last six months that every thing that was not absolutely necessary I would put off to a more convenient season and after all the getting about it is the hardest part. We have had a very dry summer. The old spring where we used to live has been dry for two or three months and there has not been rain enough to start it yet we have an abundance of water. There is a large spring on the side hill and Lucius has brought that down to the house and the pen stock is in the kitchen so you see we have it handy. We are having a very nice fall but little cold weather as yet. Potatoes are good this year, hay is going to be very scarce this winter but Lucius will have plenty. Lucius and his wife and little boy are about as well as usual. Ma I think is full as well as she was last fall. As for my own health I don’t feel sick but I’m tired to death half the time. I feel better than I did through the hot weather. William Murwin is dead. We did not go to see him before he died, we could not. He and his were intending to come and see us soon when he was taken sick. Harriet Murwin is very poorly, she has a cancer. She can’t stand it a great while. Edwin Birdsall is married to the Flemming’s daughter. He has not moved her home yet. Otego is getting to be quite a place, you would hardly know it. There is considerable rail roading - there are ten trains pass daily, six freight and passenger and four express, two are coal trains. A good many of the Otego folks burn coal, they think it cheaper than wood. Dear brother, shall I ever see you again? I hope I shall here on earth yet I sometimes almost despair of meeting you in time. I am getting to be an old woman. Almost 56 years have rolled over my head and I have grown old more in the past year than I had in ten before. I was excessively glad of the hair you sent me. Did you ever get my picture I sent you? Ma had sent hers too. This very pleasant day how glad I should be to see you and hear your voice once more. It would almost carry me back to the days of my childhood when we were all together under our good father’s roof when he read the bible and prayed with us night and morning and committed us to the care of our Father in heaven, but those days are past never to return. Our mother still lingers on the shores of time but it can not be long before the death angel will summon her to join those that have gone to the spirit land and she is ready and willing to go. Good bye my brother and may the All Merciful have you in his holy keeping and return you to your native land.

(T Chase)