Johnstown Aug. 27^th/64

                                                                         Saturday Morning

 

My Friend Frank.

                                    Time is precious just now, but nevertheless, I will steal a few moments to answer your last welcome letter, as I may not much longer have the privelege of writing to my unknown—or rather unseen correspondent. I cannot feel that you are a stranger to me, for I believe we are fully acquainted—if not more so as if we had been in personal communication all this time./

 

I believe it was a year last April since I received the first letter from you. Since that time, about thirty letters have passed between us, averaging about two each month. I must say—although I do not wish to flatter—that I have never had a more punctual correspondent, although I have one or two,who are equally as punctual.

 

Your last letter was fraught with tidings of much interest. The papers had stated the same facts which you did about that expedition, but coming from the pen of a friend who was in the neighborhood, enhanced/its interest very much to me. You mention the oppressiveness of the weather there. The past month, or rather the one which is just going out, has been a very pleasant one with us. We have been favored with a good bit of rain lately, which clears the atmosphere of all impurities. I am sorry that you were not in good health, but hope you may be better ere this reaches you. A little of our mountain air will soon build you up. Your time will be up the latter part of next month, and my birthday will be the 3^d of Oct./I would be much pleased if I could see you that day for the first, as at each recurrence of it I could remember what happened in sixty-four.

But no matter when you come, you will always find an open door, and a warm welcome from your friends. Anna is not at home now. She went to Altoona yesterday morning, to visit an old friend of hers. As I am near the bottom of the page, I think it advisable to close, with many kind wishes for your welfare. Mollie E. Bowen.

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