Shiloh, Lamar County, Texas.

 

My dear daughter

                                    This evening I received your kind epistle of the 18^th November and with the most highly appreciated and affectionate letter of your aunt and last tho' not least the precious little letter from my dear neice, whose infantile face is as familiar to me as if I looked upon it yesterday—dear sweet child—how many times in my imagination have I basked in the beams of those laughing eyes, never to be forgotten. How dear her little letter is to her lonely uncle will never be known, no words on paper can express them. Kiss her an hundred times for this treasured token of affection to one who knows how to appreciate such things 

 

Your letters found me at Shiloh, where I have been for two days, trimming trees, arranging gates and fences & pretty well tired out from the labor of the day, and had taken to my solitary hammock when these treasures refreshed me so much as to make every one exclaim "Oh! I know you you have good news" and they were right, 'twas good news, and it did indeed warm the heart to hear the kindly words of my of my own dear kindly cousin sister and life long friend, so long silent and one always so dear and kind not that words can tell the gladening influences of your epistols at all times. Till a more convenient moment for an answer thank your aunt for her kind letter / I wish she could know how much I was gratified at what she was pleased to say about you. I also notice all you say about coming here to our humble home among strangers and hardly yet entitled to be considered our own. This indeed still depends on what your brother will be able to do with the mail contracts and from whom I have not had a word for six weeks. I have an office in Paris, as I have already told you and I go hence from here every morning and return at night. I am as busy as a bee all the while, not quite time enough although I begin every day by the light of a candle. I am so far recovered as to get about pretty well. Love to all

           

Your Father

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