Otego Sept 19th 1874

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Dear Brother

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I have just written to you only a little while ago but we thought we would write again and tell you the money you sent us came all safe. We are a thousand times obliged and wish you would bring yourself. You can’t think how glad we should be - the fatted calf would be killed and there would be a general time of rejoicing all round. Ma says tell Whitfield she thanks him ever so much for the money but she don’t want him to send his hard earnings to us. She would rather you would keep it for yourself. Ma is very feeble and is almost blind but her health is good I think. She don’t have any more spells of the sick head ache and her appetite is good. We expect Elvira home pretty soon. I shall be so glad to have her stay here and I guess she will, if she can, get work. Barlow has been home and brought three of his little boys. They are smart good children. Ma says tell Whitfield pa left his watch for him and you can have it when you come home. It is excessively dry here - we have not had rain enough to lay the -- in almost three weeks. Every thing is drying up. I hear the cars, how I wish you lived where you could hear them, then you would not seem so far away. If you could only sell there and go to a warmer climate how glad we should all be. In the summer we don’t worry so much about you but in the winter when the mercury is 20 degrees below zero we think about you way off there where the mercury freezes and pity the poor fellow.

 

(from Tempe, remainder missing)