Bristol Elkhart Co Ind Decr the 8th /62
Dear Son
We Recd yours of the 29 Novr was glad to here you are still geting better
We are all well but I am tyred as I butchered five days last weak & made one pair of shoes on Saturday for Cyrus Last night (Sunday) Mr Parritt sent us word that he was going to Louisville so all hands tryed to think of somthing to send you but the time was too short to prepare any thing Mother got to boiling some honey candy with Annies Wintergreen Berry Horehound capsicum &c in it; to use a little of it in the morning & ocasionly will strengthen your lungs & stomach; Edward & I could think of nothing but some dutch Physic No 1 & some sumer savoury No 2 the last is very good for Inflamation of the bowels attended with a dyurhea or dysentery Make a tea & use it modratley at first it is the best remidy I every tryed / No 3 is Goldenseal virginia snake root & cardahenadic & a little capsicum this will strengthen your stomach & bowels & perhaps move your bowels modratly if you could take it in sour wine or whiskey it would be better
We have tryed to doo the best we could for you but owing to the short notice we could not get up any thing very nice for you; but we thought of your health first it being of the most importance; if you are in want of anything els you must let us know & we will send it by mail or express we have nothing new here at presant the folks are generaly well. the 2 ware ancious to send their likeness but the time was too short perhaps they can send them soon; they want your likeness before Christmas & if we can we will send theirs before Christmas too. hope you will have a plesant Christmas & a Happy New year /
I saw Mr Bellows he says John is still sickly; I saw Fred Sanders he said he saw you 6 weeks ago Mr Hamphier was down in Ky to get his son Lewis he got him home
Mr Zimermans are well & Mr Trego is here now they are well. we are a going to have a bee on Wedensday to get his winter wood home we have not butchered yet we will not butcher till after New years there have been a great many low hogs sold here this fall at 3 cts per lb I wont butcher for Pet Gannon this fall or any other Sesh
Mary Miller & Joahn Story ware here last night they often stay with us & are very good company
we try to pass the time the best we can amongst another but we are some times a little lonesome I hope you will all get home before spring / there is much talk of the South trying to settle or compromise but we wont settle on their terms I think. the New York Democrats (or Sesh) are urging the South very much to settle but on what terms we dont know; but certainly to save slavery for one
our Sesh are cool at presant since they got so beaten in Michigan
I must close for the presant with our love to you
All join in wishing you a hapy and plesant Christmas & Happy New year
we Remain your
affectionate Parents
Wm & Catharine Albright
To
Wm O Albright
I send a few stamps had no more