Sunday eavening

Mo Syracuse March..2^nd..62

 

well…Ruth, Laura, Philander, Princes, Sylva, and little, dear, sweet, charming, harte chearing, sole consoling, mind recruiting, body refreshing, little bud of innocence, i write a few lines informing you that i am well at present praying that these lines will reach you in good health god grant it. i am siting in our blessed old tent in front of the stove my brother soldiers are sitting on each side of me one sargent is reading the news the rest are listening to the news our capt has been home on a ferlo of 15 days he has just returned and will be in to see us soon so i must finish this letter tomorrow well it is morning the morning of the 3 of march it is verry cold for this climate i arose early this morning at 4 oclock as usual made a fire then red some in my little testament, then at day lite we formed in front of our tents to answer to our names then got breakfast and i am trying to write to my bloved family but it is so cold that i cant half write /

 

now Ruth you are in Ohio and you know more about the times as to money matters and town lots in Larue and prices of horses and mules and prices of grain and lots of such things, now ruth i wish you would acertain the prices of those things and send them to me. i was not jokeing in my last letter as to the house and lot in larue. well, the reason that i speak of the price of mules is this, we have over one hundred of good mules that blong to the teams of this reg some of them i have handled some espeshily those that blong to our company and i suppose they will be sold when the war is over at low prices from $10 to 50 dollars each well i would lik to have a span of them to farm with but if i buy a lot in Larue i do not know as i want them now Ruth give me som advice as to such things do dearest, thats a good girl. i all most know you will…(pleas do now) well one thing i know that i do want and that is i want to own a small peace of the Montgomery soil and i had jus as soon have it in Larue as any other place unless it was on the old state road 1 and a half milds east west of Scott town..but that land is two dear / yes that old place is two to valuable for the likes of my pile…but i think that that i can save enoug to get a small house and lot in Larue now. Ruth write to me and tell me all about it yes write some news. O yes i have just thought of it in time tell me just whare New Bloomington is, it must be a place that has sprung up since we left Ohio for i never herd of it untill you requested me to direct your letters there maby it is whare Longanebers mill was well i spose it is som place in Ohio at all events

 

Now Lol try to learn as fast as you can i see you are improveing in spelling and writeing verry fast you can bet your pap now that so you must beat your mother next O how ancious i am to have my children go to school all they can and when they cant go to school read at home Ruth you know that education is better than riches for it cannot be taken from them. well my prair is that i may be spaired to give my little ones some education O that i was there now to relieve your careful mind, dear Ruth but i am hear and you are there so we must be content /

 

Give my respects to Farther Chapman and Riggles folks

i will write again soon so i will not write more now

John G Scoville to Ruth Scoville his beloved wife

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