Oswego Ill Aug 13th /65
Sunday night
Dear Oliver.
I received a letter from you last thursday mailed the ninth, I sent you one the same day but I do not know whether it went through as quick or not. We were all glad to hear that your health was better, for I began to think that you was sick, you waited so long before you wrote. I saw your mother the next night and read your letter to her. She was here yesterday but she said she could not give you an answer yet, for she had not talked with the boys yet about it, but she is / going to let me know by the middle of the week, and then I will write again, but I do not make the least calculation that you will get them, for I almost know the boys & Mary will oppose it, & if they do, she will do as they say about it.
Dow has not been home since you went away, and I dont know as it will be of any use to write to him, for it will be ten chances to one if he gets it at all, but I will write as soon as I can. I did not get my quilt quite done yesterday, but think I will finish it tomorrow. I want to put on another right away if I can get a chance to go or send to Aurora to get the cotton. Now as regards our living there to John's. If the house was large enough / so that we could live separate I would not care so much, but it is barely large enough for one family let alone two. I could not get all our things in there and I have another plan in my head at present. Old Mr Cooney has let his place this year to a man by the name of Stickler, and furnishes everything, pays all the expenses, & gives him two fifths of all the grain he raises, half the eggs chickens, & fruit, the use of a cow & house room, and I dont know what else. He does not like Sticker, & will not let him stay another year, and I am going to see him tuesday if it does not storm again, and if you can get the chance, I think it will be better than you can do there. You know / he has the best of farming utensils of all kinds, and you would have to be at no expense out, and could put what little money you will have into young stock & have it growing, and in two years we would be better prepared to improve our home than we are now, for I do not know how you are going to get along without a team, & I dont believe you can get these colts of your mother. But if you think it will be better to stay there, I will come in two or three weeks. I wish you would try & get a room of Mrs Decker or some one, for I know it will be very unpleasant for us all to live as we should be obliged to do there, & I would rather live alone part of the time. Monday It is cloudy this morning & looks as though it was going to rain again. I am sorry, for we have had so much rain lately, it has been very bad for farmers. I will write again as soon as I find out, how things work.
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Uncle Theodore was down saturday & he looks & feels a great deal better than when you was here. He came alone with the little girl so you know he must be
The rest of the friends are well as usual. Mat Whitman was buried yesterday. They have a young babies at Dick Ferris' Peter Cooneys & Ad Armstrong all girls.
No more this time.
Mollie