Scotch Plains N J Sept 25^th 1872

 

            Dear Cousin Mary

                                                It is with pleasure I embrace this oppertunity of answering your Epistle. Which i did not recive untill last night Just as I returned last night from Pittsburgh. I will let you know what I know about that Place. Well I started from New York on the 14 instant on the six P.M. train after a ride of a night and Half a day I found my sefe in the Smokey city. Just before I reached the city I looked out I remarked to my selfe what a Butifull day and I got into a doze and when I had stop awoke I found I was at my destanation I walked out of the depot and looked up at the sky to my surprise it was over cast I thought I must be a sleep yet. but I had not gone a grate way be fore I found out my mistake by the smell of gas and smoke. I took up my line of march for to find Sammey after a ride in the street car a half hour I found my selfe in Alleghaney at the End of the street car rout so I went to Enquireing for the man Sam lived with the first man I asked he could no Speaken English the next wanted to know if he Boarded in a shanty close by. the next did not know and the fourth said he lived up on a Hill close by so I took up the line of march for the Hill arriveing there safe after going though the above with out even a wound. the next when I arrived on the Hill I was confronted by a big dog after a little coaxing I manged to get past and to my surprise I found Sam had gon to church with the folks I did / to set around the kitchen untill he should come back so I got direction to where the church was and started to find it and by mistake I got the wrong church I waited out side untill it was out and I did not see aney one who looked like Sam. So I started back and met him a coming down the road to meet me he was verry glad to see me so after congratulation we started back for the house and had Dinner which came welcome to me there was but verry little transpired till afternoon or Evening when we started out to uncles. Sam stood back and I went inn and asked uncle if he wanted a Boarder and recived the cold reception of no he had plenty he did not reguigize me then Sam came inn and he said to Sam I think I must know who this is so Sam told him and he was verry glad to see me and Ann was at Home and she went a prepareing supper for us She hardley knowed what to do for she was so over Joyed to see one of her relation in America one she did not see since we she was a child in hir mothers arms. I tell you Mag Ann is not verry well pleased with you for treating her letter so coldley and I dont blame her but you know I took your part. I told her it was not because you thought aney the less of her but something you was in the habit of doing and it was soley negliance on your part or dread of writeing the longer you left it off the longer you wanted to untill it was so long that you where a shamed to write. Now Mag for my sake do write to her and Uncles sake also for he told her that we where not proud or thought our selves better than them if we had better oppertunity / of reciveing Education so do not make the [ink blot] old Gentleman out a liar under aney consideration for all I tried to convince her it was not so, I think she Intertained the same thoughts still. When you write address her letter in care of Sam for they have moved since you last wrote

 

I seen Maggie but I did not see Jane I tell you that Maggie is a strong healthy girl as ever I seen I would not like for to try to [faded] her for I think I would get the worst of the undertakeing. Uncle is apparetly well but old age is a telling it tale on him. he say if Uncle James intends giveing up farming that he will go up there him and Sam and take the farm on shares and try it as he would rather be at that then what he is at and I think it would be the best for uncle to do that is if he intends putting the place out on shares as I think Uncle Thomas would do Justice by Uncle. and he say further if there is a farm close by he would rent it so they could work to one and other land and wishes Uncle would let him know soon as he could as he is geting tired of liveing in Pittsburgh and would like to leave it to do better. I did not kiss uncle Thomas as you wished me to I did not do aney kissing at all as it is something I do not like to do. I suppose you know that you wished to know if I recived an anwer answer from that clerk yet I did it amounts to about the same as the other. I will send you a copy of both letters as soon as I recive answer to this Short Epistle. I would in this but I had not [faded] much of what I know about Pittsburgh so I hope you will excuse me this time and /

I tell you what to see the line of vetrans take up there line of March it brought back to my memory vivid recolection of the war for the Union and How much devolved on the citzens to return to the Presidential chair the man that now sets there to preserve what has been so Hard fought for and we will do it was the voice of thirty thousand of those Brave Boy in Blue in the convention who represented almost Half a Million after the convention had adjorn the next night along came old Horace who made a speach and in that speach said that we soldires had been called there to raise the old Strife betwene the north and south for to accomplich the perpose of a Polical Party to put them in Power again I think if aney one is trying to stir up that feeling it is Horace Greely by making such an assertion the old fellow must have felt rather hurt as there was onley three houses in town allumated for him and the night before the town was ablace with allumation in faver of his oponent. such a preformance showes the Expresion of the people he may go though the country and make speaches &ct but when he attacks the Boy in Blue he attacks the nation supports and they will vote as they fought in the time of our country peril and New York with that old chiftain at the Head of it ticket for govener. if aney man pull down the American Flag shoot him on the spot will vote in a large republican majority in the fall and New Jersey dose not want to be left out in the cold and she will not. Give my love to all. I hope to hear from Elda Jane & your sefe soon. I gess you will borrow some one leather speck to read these few lines as I am nearly asleep blots and mistakes for [?] face I gess it would be smoth Give my Regards to [ink blot] & [?] from your &ct. W.D.J.

 

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