Forag Office

7^th Street Wharf.

Washington D.C.

Feb. 25^th 1865

 

                                    Dear Parents J & L Brown

its with much pleasure that I now improve an houre on such a business of my presious moments in adressing you altho I well know you have enoughf to do and busy your selves about even if you dont get a letter evory evening. But if I cant be there to bother you I will try and recall your attention to my simple composeing and poorly written letter which I sit heare and write while N^o in "Your absence" I would like to be to home this evening yes verry much but as I told you when I was at home I cannot be in but one plase at a time and I want to be where it is the best for my wellfare I dont know whether I shall stay here long or not but think I shall stay untill I get out of debt at home and abroad. I have got a midling good place. I say good place it isent a good place or as good as I think I ought to have. But it is much easier than it would be for me to try to stay at home and work on a farm for I dont think my shoulder is strong enoughf to labor on a farm with. But I am in hopes it will be able to earn bread and coffe enoughf for me to live on while I do live. I have thought and oftend do think that the Future which stands before me now will be an unpleasant life to live unless I can imrove in my poor Scolarship and do something to make a man of myself. But I have never yet had much chance and dont know as I ever shall altho I find friends wherever I go and they may be my best to day and worst to morrow. I spose it stands some with others as it does with me. Say for inst. that I had a friend that arrived from quick acquaintance and he should prove to be a failure no care or regard for himself and wanted to live on me all of the time. I think my friendship would play with him after while and now I think from what I see while at home that they would play with me in a short time as I would with the above written acquaintance. it isent money that always byes friendship and while we say that we will say that money is better for to call friend than he some times gets. But its good to have friends /

 

Mr Manley is now home on a leaf of absence he done what he could for me before leaving and said he would do more & get a better posision when he got back if possible. he told me if I thought I was able to be night-watch and go to school he would get me a place where I could get 60$ per month and be on duty 6 hours out of 24 that would leave 18 hours to myself for sleep and schooling. He thought I had better go to collage I would have to give 60$ for schooling then could go to my school or any where in the U.S. go as long as I am a mind to and learn any thing I wanted to and I dont know but that would be my best holt. I wrote to Uncle Albert about comeing and getting some government horses and if he comes & will do well enoughf by me I presume I shall come home with him. if he dont come I shall remain where I am for a while as I said before, I have got a good place far as Company is concerned and plenty of it. You can see Uncle Albert and if he comes you may send pants & vest & if he dont come send them and 2 shirts one socks and a little butter and chease if you have it if not you can buy 2 or 3$ worth of some and and put in the box. get the money of Jeff for to pay that & freightage /

 

I sent Uncle Albert 125$ yesterday for to settle with Aut himself and Chaffe if you dont make that work that I spoke of and if you do Father and you can youse the balance. Father spoke about going west this summer to see his friends if you want to go I will send you money and you can go and stay till after harvesting there then come home. if you have any notion of going let me know so I can get the money. Evory thing will be verry high on acount of the R.R. but if you want to go maby it will be as well one time as another now Father if you go or intend to I will send you 20 or 30$ to go with. I have not got the pay on Dolphins account yet & dont think I shall for I have forgotten who he worked for & the wagonmaster to tell him to recon up the just amount of days & send me the correct time & mans name he hired out to & wagon masters name then I can draw it & not untill I know I shall have to put this on to the [?] for him. Mother I am glad you have got such a good fellow for a boarder & hope he will help you what he can how does the colts look & hay hold out. I will close hoping to hear from you soon I have recieved your letters which you directed here and one from Bill Russel & answered it. this leavs me well & feeling well hoping it to find you the same I have wrote to monson & got no answer yet                                                               Your Son Eph to Parents

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