Douglassville Aug 20^th

 

Dear Pa

                        I have just rec^d yours of 1^st & 3^d inst, being the first information we have had from you since you left Little Rock. It was very gratifying to all of us to hear that you were all well and succeeding so well in your affairs. I am glad Rea has returned to Helena and I hope we may all soon be reunited. We are doing very well here. Have had no sickness and everything is getting along as well as I expected. The corn crop has proved to be good and the cotton I think will make very well. We are now having very hot and dry weather, which may injure it some. I think it will bring more money than all the other crop. Corn will not sell for anything I am feeding it bountifully, hoping to fatten the team and hogs. I can do nothing in this country, cannot even get a load for my team while every citizen can get as much hauling as they desire and at good prices. It would astonish you to see how many men have teams to here now. I will use every endeavour to leave here by the 1^st of October, for I feel that I am wasting time in this country. I think there is but small prospect of selling the place and I have made partial arrangements with Mr Choate to live on it next year. I preferred him to any one I knew. If he had money I could sell many things to him, but unfortunately he has nothing / to buy with. Perryman has purchased Stewarts place at $1 per acre and his corn at seventeen cents per bushel so you can form some idea of the prices in this country. I thought for some time that the hogs would bring a good price but people begin to talk as if they expected the country to be dessolated and a surplus of every thing would remain. In fact they are the hardest people to trade with that I ever saw. I have meat enough to last nearly a month and then I can kill a beef and some hogs. I have bought 100^lbs of bacon since you left and will not buy any more except to feed me on the road home. It is becoming scarce and I expect I will have to purchase in Jefferson. I have not yet sold the two bales of cotton, but I intend to have them repacked this week and I will take them to Jefferson soon. Mr Keatts will move to Jefferson or Shreveport this fall. He is doing nothing and swears the country is getting worse and worse. I am anxious to get away. I much prefer going to the Miss river where the people have become accustomed to the present condition of affairs. I am becoming convinced that our fears for this country will be realized. I am trying to get along without spending any money. I want the crop to move us home and have some surplus if possible. We have / had melons and fruit in abundance and wished often that you were here to enjoy them with us. Mary is getting along very well keeping house. She has nearly cloth enough for a tent and wagon sheet. I believe that is the extent of her ambition. All have been much cheered since your letter was received. I write this at Mr Keatts and will send it by Col Fleming of Pulaski who brought out your letters. Write as often as you can. Give my love to all. I am sorry you did not write more about the citizens of Phillips. I suppose you had so many other things of interest, that you omitted mentioning them.

 

Yr affectionate son

 Jno J Horner

 

John S Horner Esq                                          

            Helena Arks                                                

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