Dubuque Jan 23^rd 1864

 

My Darling Husband

                                    I have just returned from Sisters. It is most a delightful afternoon, the sun shines and it is quite warm almost every one is out sleighing Mr Bartletts whole family is out. my head aches, and I am so tired from my ride this morning that I preferred to stay at home. I have not been very well the past two weeks and Mrs. Bartlett says that I shall not go out in the country again. I look so badly now but then I do not know as going out there did me any / harm. If I could see you darling I would feel better but then I am not going to be sick love while you are away from me indeed I do not know what would become of me if I should. I thought the other day while feeling so badly that if I should be sick and you so far from me I would surely die, but I am feeling considerable better and hope that I shall have good health until my darling husband comes home at last. I had a letter from mother today they are all well. Gilbert and Sarah have gone to M^cGregor on a visit, mother says that I must not go south darling she thinks that I would die before I got used to the climate but I know that I can stand it as well as you can, and if you / have to stay there and die, I want to be with you and die too, for I would not wish to live, indeed I would not have any thing to live for if my darling should be taken from me, but I do not like think of this dear it is rather an unpleasant thought. I am so tired dear that I will not finish this until tomorrow.

 

            My dear George they have all gone to church and I have staid at home to write to you Edgar went to the office before church this morning on my account and brought me yours of Jan 3^rd which gives me more encouragement in regard to your coming home than any letter that I have received from you yet. some times I feel assured that the good Lord will spare / you to return and again I feel so blue and fear that you never will. you have been gone a long time dear eight weeks today since I last saw your dear face and that is longer than I hoped you would be gone when you started, and yet you do not know when you can come I am getting so home sick that I scarcely know what to do with myself. Hat does not like it very much because I am not more contented but I can not help it for I appear better satisfied than I really am. I sincerely hope love that the next letter I get will say that you are coming home. you seem to think dear that a few weeks would not make much difference / if you was only sure that you was coming. I do not agree with you darling, for a day seems like a week to me, and a few months would seem as long to me as so many years, and I earnestly pray that there will not be a great many weeks, leaving months entirely out of the question, until you are home. Add sent me his photograph in the letter I got from home yesterday. Maggie says that he is always regretting so much that as I had to leave he could not have the pleasure of seeing me married, he thinks that he would certainly have been / there if he had only been at home. I had a letter from Mrs Bowles a few days ago she wants me to hurry home so she can make me a visit that we used to laugh about before I had any idea that she would have an opportunity of doing so. It is most a lovely morning it seems most to bad for me to stay at home from church, but had I gone I should have gone with Hat and I have no doubt but you will think me just as well off at home and probably better and I do not care to go to church or any where else until I can have you to go with me, which I trust will not be a great while longer. hoping very soon to see you, I am ever your wife           

Annie /

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I will send you a paper dear Angie sent you one some time ago it has probably reached you before this time do not practice anything worse than checkers darling you know that "Satan finds some mischief for idle hands to do"        

Annie

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