Marion June 17^th 1860

 

            Dear Nancy,

                                    It is with pleasure that I now seat myself to fulfill the promise I made of writing to you

 

            We arrived at Uncle's one week ago yesterday after a very tiresome journey of three weeks and two days. and you may well believe that we were all glad to get to a stopping place and I think if I ever travel 500 miles again I shall ride behind a faster horse than I did this / time and one that never tires.

 

When I commenced writing I thought I would tell you something of our journey and the route we took but it will take to much time to tell you all I will merely tell you that we reached Mat's cousin's one week after we started. we remained there till Tuesday morning when we again resumed our journey and arrived at Michigan City Friday about 4 o'clock. we was from that time until Tuesday morning going to Chicago the distance of 45 miles so you can judge something of the roads we had to travel indeed one day we only went 10 miles and worked hard at that. The sand most of the way between the two cities was up to the horses knees but thank heaven we have got through alive safe and sound

 

            Perhaps you would like to know whether I am homesick or not. Well / I will tell you. I am not half as homesick now as I was before I got here in fact I have no time or chance to indulge in such feelings for I have got two of the most wide awake although the best cousins you ever saw but I tell you I have hard work to keep up with them in a joke or anything where there is fun ahead. I have laughed so much since I came here that it is difficult for me to keep my face straight any of the time. Edward my oldest cousin went and hitched up his horses before the big wagon the other day and himself and us women took a ride and such a time as we had. I wish you had been with us you and Aunt Louisa but enough of this. Edwin has just been in to ask me to take a ride with him so I will wait until I get back before I finish this. how I wish you was going too but to wish is all the good it does.

 

Monday Afternoon. /

I have just got through washing and I will now try and finish my letter I did not get back from my ride untill after dark and therefore had no time to finish it last night

 

            We had a first rate ride. Edwin wanted we should go to the Mormon meeting but I did not care about going so we went another way. But to change the subject how do you like teaching school and answering to the dignified title of School Marm have you been lonesome any. how I wish I could peep into your school-room some day but more than all the rest would I enjoy a few hours spent alone with you. but what is the use "what cant be cured must be endured" you know is the old saying so I suppose I may as well be contented. have you seen your Cousin Mr Dunlap lately? but here I am almost to the bottom of the 4^th page so I will close this scribbling with my love and best wishes to yourself and parents Please write as soon as you get this as I am impatient to hear from you. Your friend A. L. Smith

 

[upside down margin] What about the live forever write and tell me

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