Bay City April 11.1881.

 

My Dear husband

This is monday night your letter is at hand and I am now seated to write you an awnswer to your most Welcome letter I have been sewing carpet rags today and we are allmost done. have enough rags sewed to fill a nice piece want to get it of as som soon as possible after it is gone I shall paper and paint the bed room and sitting room and have the Ceilings whitend as soon as I can get around to it but I shall not tear up much as Annie has the Measels and Marian loocks as if she might soon break out/

 

anie Annie has been quite sick for several days but is better and I speckled up like an old hen Marian is so cross between the two I have my own time other wise we are all well now Frank you want me to decide about moveing up there it is hard for me to do so as I feel as if you wanted to move to satisfy me all I have to say is this if you are going to stay on what is the use of us keeping up Expence for your board it would help in the family but I would not pay that man no 12^d and and be at expence of cleaning up at a rent like that I think that a down right insult in a mans wanting another to put his hand in his pocket and lay out money to clean others Dirt and fix up a strangers property/

 

I shall have mine fixed up and leave it respectable for a tenant I cant see as property can be more valuable there than here loock around and perhaps you can do better than to take it and if you do take it don’t rent before may and leave him put it in order I entend to paint the wood work up and paper two rooms Harry put a walk down front There is the second week of the term and he is suspended and I feel so much disgusted with his teacher I can not bear to go near her I know very well he is loud mouthed and Disordely he just feels as if he was his own boss he has his school suit just about whiped again our ll children are a great Expence they feel as if they could eat all before them and they are able to wear all before/them you seem to want me to get harry in at smalleys men who work there advise me not to as they tell me they have boys who enterd there 4 years ago and they have them choseing yet and they are no nearer a trade that they were at first Mother keeps quite well and seems to be as lonesome as any of us about you she begins to look a little old fashioned again it pleases her a great deal to have you remember her each time I must now close as I want to write some other letters I hope this vexed question may soon be setteld one way or another how are masons folks geting along Well our sixteenth birthday has gone and all is well with us we are not rich in worldly goods but I hope in love and honest hearts we are doubly so now I stop and look for comfort and advice from you Ever your loveing wife

 

[margin]          kitties ten cents made your letter cost three cents extra

                        Bube is pretty pleased with his letter he run post haste over to [?] with it she has had a bad sick time she says well the Dear man he never forgets us at any rate

SOURCES