Marine Hospital Dec 25^th 1863

Well Frank

My dear boy

            I will write to you this time and I want you to listen when Ma reads this to and see if it will not make you try and be a better boy hereafter

 

                        Ma wrote to me a few days ago and told me how you was doing in regard to going to school. She tells me that instead of going to school that you are very naughty and run away and stay all day until after dark and then again when you do go that you run away after school and stay away and make her hunt for you after dark. Now Franky is that the way that you show what you think of me while I am away from home. do you think that pa likes to have you act in that way. do you think that is the way to be a man and help Ma while I am gone. I do not think that it is nor is it the way to become a man for boys that run away from school and will not mind their Ma / hardly ever make good men and generally are sure to do something that will send them to jail or state prison. Now Franky you do not want to go to either of those places to be among men that steal and get drunk and lie and are very wicked do you. Now it is very wicked for you to do as you are doing and just as certain as you keep on doing so you will be certain to go there and then what would pa and Ma do they could not help you any but you might lay there and die

 

            I want you to hurry and learn to read and write so that you can read my letters and write to me and then if anything should happen that Ma could not write to me you could do it or if pa should not come home again you would be a man and could take care of Ma and Lilly and folks would say what a man Frank Tucker is he takes care of his mother and sister and then they would think a great deal of you for being such a good boy. Now Frank would you not rather be a good boy than to be so wicked God does not like boys that are so naughty and he will punish them for it. Now then / Frank if you had been a good boy and helped Ma work and not run away from school I would have sent you a Christmas present but since you have done as you have been I cannot send you anything not until Ma says that you are a good boy again and deserve it if you take hold and help ma all that you can and not run away any more when she writes and tells me so I will send you something nice

 

            You will be a better boy wont you Frank for pa's sake and then I will write to you often. O frank do think of how it grieves me to have you do as you do it makes me think that you do not love me any and I can hardly keep from crying because of you when I think of your conduct since I have been gone from home. I do not want to say any more about this Frank and you will not make me do it will you. I love you yet just as much as though I was home cannot you love me to even though you cannot see me every day try and see if you cannot and then Ma will write what a good boy you are and how you help her work / Well Frank I shall have to stop and say good bye to you for this time but do not for get what I have said to you in this letter                     

 

Frank please kiss Lilly for me and ma to and show her in this way that you mean to be a good boy after this

 

Tell lilly that I will write to her before long

 

Good by frank this is From your Pa   L. V. Tucker

To Frank L. Tucker

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