Feb 8th 1863 [1] My very Dear Husband I am always glad for the time to come for me
to write to you but this time I write a little before my regular time of writing for fear
of not being able to sit up to night I will write this evening I usually write at night when
every thing still but the ticking of the old clock I have very sick spells at times but the du not
last long still I have been very unwell ever since last wednesday night we had a big sleet
it come in the house thick enough I have pains in my neck and right sholder and arm so that I do
not rest any hardly at night as to exposeing myself I do not do it since Christmas I was able
to then so do not be uneasy about me for I am a going to do the best I can I will try not to let
my ambition go ahead of my strength may be all my bad feelings and bad health will
rub off after awhile; Wm I acknowledge the receipt of two letters from you this week and was glad
to hear from you I am much better satisfied for you to be in the hospital now than when you
first went there all but one thing I am afraid you will contract this small pox being where there are
so many people I spoke of the slleet well certain I have never seen such a time It was deep
in the yard and evry thing was iced over nice enough it thaws when the sun shines and then frezes at
at night so we have particular walking I try to have all the stock attinded to well the poor
cows I was so sorry for them they were sheeted all over with ice and had cricles
hanging from their ears and sides my heafer has been sick ever since
I hope she will soon be well this is the fourth day since the sleet and there
is a plenty every whare it is not all off the house tops yet it is the
wort most sloppy weather I ever had to brogue about in we cant plough
any more for a week Charles has ploughed seven days in the slack land
it is his farm I reckon you must call it the reason I have him to
plough is he wont do any thing else by hisself the[y] all say he ploughs
very well he does not plough close enough to the fences but he will leurn
how after awhile I think he tries to do a little better since George has been
coming here I hope he will do better
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I recon you found all your questions answered in my packages and my
other letters which I hope you have got before now. My Woman does not know
much about doing for white folks but she seems willing to learn she has not
worked out much yet but she must go to ploughing when the ground dries
off George and she are company for me they sing and pray in the kitchen and
itl passes off time Wm I do not know what this bad weather is doing for
wheat and oats they looked very nice the middle of Jan but there is
a place along the fence from the pars to the hogpen will not have
a stalk I think the chickens got it before it was ploughed in Sister
can talk but cant walk only around any thing she is a beauty I toled
John what you said he said Fordy would bring him a great big red Appel
The dog barked one day he dropped every thing and ran in haste he said Fordy
was coming he looked so wishful to see if it was not you I do hope you will come
home again J Mayo got home this week he brought letters and money for the
boys Trent Flint is dead so Bud wrote I recon that your brother John has
left he toled Mother he would see you if there was any chance he was talking of
going to get his furlough extended I would liked to have known for certain he was
going would have sent you something sure but I hope you will come soon I must
close but could write more if I thought it necessary