Cabin of Thompson, Chase & Co. Dec. 27^th/62

 

My darling Sister,

                        Christmas eve, I was made glad by the receipt of a letter from sis & dad of Nov. 21^st, a little longer than usual getting to me, as it had to be forwarded from Foster's Bar. I don't know what I should do, if I could not get letters from home; it seems to me the longer I am away the more I want to see you all, but I suppose I shall have to wait a long time yet before I shall have that happy privelidge, not so long as many do that come here however, for as far as my observation extends, the longer one stays out here the less he cares to go back, but I do not believe if I should stop ten years, but I would be just as glad to go home, sweet home. I admire the pattern of your dress much & really wish I could see that elegant shawl nothing like it in B—, a perfect beauty as every body avers; truly though I should like to see it, that is if you was inside of it. How I should like to have you to keep house for us this winter! would not you like it in a house 14 by 16 with just dishes enough to get along with, & a dutch oven (which is nothing more nor less than a thick iron kettle with a cover that fits tight) to do your baking in. We heat it then put the dough in, and set it on / coals also put coal on the cover and it bakes as nice as can be. I am very glad to hear that you are so well & rugged & making such a lot of dresses.

 

I have not got my new clothes yet, except a drilling frock; think I will let the rest go until another year. By the way what have you done with that over-coat cloth that was in the house. I hope Father got it made up for him. If not make it up for some of them.

 

            Oh! those pumpkin pies & apples! for pitties sake don't mention them. I really hope neighbors will not be a cat's paw for the District any longer. I really do not know wherein they have used him for brushing walnuts off the stove. Tell Mrs. Thompson I should be most happy to have the privelidge of partaking of chowder at her table, but I can't leave family cares long enough this winter.

 

            What! wasent there any young men at [?], or wasent the right one—s there? There must be but very few young men left about the rural villages of Maine. I can hardly realize the fact, that so many have gone to fight for the liberty of mankind; as you say there can be hardly a home but misses one or more. I wrote to Charley the first of the week & sent it to Washington. Oh! that I could know how & where he is at this time. I expect he is with Banks & if he was to leave Newbern, I would as soon have him with Banks as any Gen. in the field. I don't know how we are coming out of this, but I must say my courage is / not so good as it was last spring, still I hope for the best & trust all will end well, but Burnsides retrograde movement is what gets me. I would like to be informed how I am to get rich by going into the shoe business, driving pegs I suppose; if I am not sick till I get so by shoe-making, it will be a long time first

 

            I recd. your letter with Aunt Dama's in it & thought I mentioned it at the time: Dident you get a letter in which I wrote that he was coming over to see us in the fall. You can tell Aunt D. the same that I wrote in Mothers last week, that Elish is here with us, tough and rugged & will probably stop here all winter and perhaps longer. I have been bossing him to write to his mother but have not got him at it yet; will next week or bust though; he is like many others, been here most too long. I am ever so glad to hear of the flourishing condition of the Div, but I don't see who there is to go except A. J. Whitman & J. C. Shaver. How I should enjoy being with them to-night not A. J. & J. C. particularly but the Div, say the feminine side of the house. I guess the church have got about the right kind of a minister this time. I thought of home all day Thanksgiving but it was no use I was away off in Cal. & all the Thanksgiving I got was work as usual. It was the same day here as in Maine, but I guess it was not observed very much. Christmas is made more of here. I had an invitation to attend at Forbestown but I though I wouldent. Flora was my invited /

 

I told Ham you wished to know what ailed him. he did not make much answer any way, but finally said he'd write some time. I am sure I don't know why he should not write as he used to, heedlessness is the trouble I am inclined to think. Tell Homer my stamps stick so I can't get them off. I never have seen any of the Postage Stamp Currency; do you have it in circulation at B—. I sent 15¢ in Legal Tender last Oct. I guess Jed will be willing to go home as soon as any of us. I wish you could have the fine weather of Cal. these days are as pleasant as one could wish to see; we have had but little rain thus far, not enough to suit us as we cannot do much until we have a good rain to raise the creek. Is Q. K. at home or gone to the war. The papers have not come regularly lately as they did in the summer. I have lost some of the Democrats. I may not be able to send the Appeal very regular now as I am quite a distance from the P.O. Forbestown Butte Co. but I will send occasionally. I expect I shall not be able to get my letters every week as there will probably be spells that we cannot get over the river. Mr. Moores brother is Deputy Collector for Yuba Co. & resides at Marysville. Mr. Smith told me the other day that he would write to Mr. Moore. I can boast a little about thieves & robbers: two of them entered a cabin over beyond Forbestown, bound the occupants, took a little money, the blankets & what else they wanted & walked out; the next night two horses were taken from a stable & they forgot to put them back. The next day I took a horse & went after my carpet sack & blankets & night overtook me right in the infested region & you may well believe I felt a little skeery but got through all right. Give my love to Hattie & tell her I would like much to have a ride with her one of these winter evenings but will have to put it off until next winter. Is Martha at home? and Mell where is he? & Nat too? How near the end of 1862 it is, I can hardly realize the fact, that Jan. 1 1863 will come with next Thursday. I wish you all a happy New Year. Elisha is a good cook & we live well, enjoying ourselves nicely. We have nice beans at 10 cts per pound, flour at $1.50 pr hundred, corn meal $6. we have nice corn cakes. E likes a good living as well as I and D—. potatoes cost us 4 cts, bacon 20, sugar 20 dried peaches 20 butter 40, beef 8, onions 20 we don't have but few of the last. Every thing is sold by the pound. It is 10 o'clock so good night dear sister & I will crawl into my blankets, a good bed

                                                                                               

Your loving brother Ros.

 

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Elisha will stop with us for the present

Jed sends love to all.

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