Home Sep^t 8^th 1864

 

Dearest Husband

                                    I received your much wished for letter yesterday evening just one week after it was written I was very anxious to hear from you, but you did not say that you were better or worse. your letter found us well. Ella May is much better than when you were at home, and looks better. she stands alone and takes a few steps. she is mighty proud of it. she talks a great deal about her Pa. she says Pa gone to get the hoss, and poor Pa and a great many other things she misses you very much. the next morning she wanted you to get up to breakfast. Jno. did not get home until after ten oclock that night, it was a very dark night too / doubtless you will be surprised when you hear that Steve is in the army again, but such is the case he enlisted the 2^nd day of this month he is going back to his old company he enlisted for one year I was very sorry to see him leave again he came up on sabbath to bid us good bye. we did not know it until then. he said that he felt it his duty to go. we had a letter from Tom written on the 27^th of August he was well then and I think that Steve said they were at Jerusalem rail road I am not certain. Mother is at Clinton she went with Orin the morning you left

 

—Jno has just got home from Pittsburgh. he saw Steve at the Girard house. they were going out to camp that evening /

 

The dysentary is very bad here there are several that have it in town. Roman Moreland was at her Mothers her children had it the oldest one had it and died last saturday. Eddie has it but Jno. says he is better to day. Charlie has a bad diarhea, the D^r thinks that it will spread. I give Ella garlic and whiskey every morning. D^r M^cCarrels babe is still liveing but they do not think that it will get well

 

I received $7.00 from the county for the next two months I bought five yards of flannel to make a couple of dresses for Birdie. I paid $4.50 for them I thought I had better get it I gave $1.00 to carothers for butter Jno. $1.00 for tea, 70 cts to Anesly for pickles, 50 cts for postage / $1.20 for one gallon of carbon oil and 20 cts for letter paper and envelopes, that is the way the money goes. Minie was back two or three days. she took one of the first pictures we got of Ella she did not like the bare legs

 

—Dear Joe home is not home without you I seem to miss you more than ever. I am sad and lonely. then it has been so dreary it has rained every day for a week but one that was yesterday

 

Mrs Atkinson says she wishes that you had some of her sweet apples. they are nearly done Miss Kate and Laverty still have a good time. Bob Tucker is in Pittsburgh on his way home. he has served his three years. I will close it is getting dark and my pen is so bad I can scarcly write at all good bye may God guide bless and protect you write soon from your Loveing           Kate

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