Dear Sister
I have been trying to get time to write you a line for the last two weeks for I have a Letter of Nelly's that I wanted to send to you but I have been sick with a bad cold and the babe has been sick and I can hardly take time to scratch a line to any one I have not seen any of our folks excepting Father since you was here he has been to see me twice he was here christmas day and he said he would here something from you by comeing down here but I had heard nothing since he was here before he said he had sold Long his best team and taken a note he held against you I believe long pays him 100 and 60 dollars for the team
Dr Ladou has gone to his long home and now now he has a chance to try his skepticism if he could only come back and tell the rest of us how he fares we would then know better how to guide our ship but that cannot be we must take the bible for our guide and try to do the best we can. he died with the Tifoid feaver he lay sick five weeks poor old Grandfather died alone in his bed and he two has gone to try the realities of an other world Father was there the day before he died and he was sitting up and seemed to be sleeping the most of the time but he could not then get up and stand alone Father told Henry he could not live but a little while and he must not be left alone but he seemed to be easy and they put him to bed and he went to sleep never to awaken again in this wourld he looked as though he had died without a struggle but just slept his life a way poor old man I hope he has gone to rest. I never saw our Father look more harty than at the present time he had on a new sute of clothes through out and he bought him a buffalo robe when here I expect he means to strike around a little from the looks of things Isaac is clerking for Taylor in hamilton for twelve dollars a month Filly is doing chores and going to school but they say he does not learn much Jason is liveing there but he says he will leave in the spring and I dont know why he is agoing to do for Father thinks he has nothing to spare him I expect he wants it to rase an other family on he did bring me some cranberries for a wonder and I cannot see how he could spare them. he sold your cow for 14 dollars and wants one year for his pay so he did not make very much off you there. well I must close for I must answer Nelly's letter while the babe sleeps and I want you to answer this immediately and tell me how you all are and how you prosper in business and how you like it there and I want Dock to write what he think about secession and whether he is agoing to take part in the war and all the knews he can think of
Ida goes to school and she has got her first reader almost by hart she will soon have to have the second reader she says I must tell Aunt celina to come and bring Hatty for it has been so long since she saw her and I even I am a comeing to see you when we get out of debt
write very soon from your sister Elisabeth
