Saturday 8th April 1865
Dear Husband
I received two letters
from you this evening I must tell you I
was very glad as I did not expect one
this is the 5th once I have wrote to you
I am very glad to hear you are well
and hope you may remain so we
are all well this evening I thank
god I can say so a few days ago we were
all sick with the cold and croup I
had the wild fire or erysipelas but
am well as usual to day I feel very
well Emma and lissie are both well again
except a bad cough I am giving that
expectorant now it helps them very much
I have thried everything almost I am
very thankful for our health you know
one feels very uneasy when the family
are sick Mr and Mrs Fouse came and
stayed one night till bed time it
was great company to me Lissie was
better and slept well all night in a few
days was well again you must not feel
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uneasy about us Martha is well also
and has kept well and so has Ellie since
you left it is a fine thing for she does my
hardest work we have made some
garden it is a beautiful night the
moon is shining beautiful it has been
a delightful day it makes me feel
very happy when the weather so nice
I sent some 40 pounds meat to Fred
ericksburg to day and some eggs the
price is coming down I thought it
was best to sell it now still I kept
plenty I got some molasses and sugar
some coffee and dresses for each of
the girls and a scrub broom and several
other things I have some wood chopped
and still have some of yours yet we
have gathered wood since the weather
is nice it is with me as I told you [1]
before you went away and I am trying
to be careful of myself I did not go
to the store myself I sent Martha
went with Adams in the carriage he seen to
my things they are very kind I got the fodder
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hauled to the fence and got some straw
from [dumpard?] as you said we have
a beautiful calf Adams will get it our
corn lasted till now I have not got the
otheres home yet I am feeding oats and
potatoes and they look well the cow and
calf look well also there is not going to
be any draft Barney says curtin [2] has
stopped it the [coms?] have not all their
men made up yet there is nothing new
here I believe the grain looks beautiful
you must not be uneasy about us god
will take care of us I do not feel uneasy
about that we pray much for you
and believe for Christs sake he hears
us I hope before many months you
will be home to stay with us always
mind when you come home I will never
let [you] go away again until Jesus call you or
one of us away I still hope and
pray you will be home soon what a
happy meeting I often think of it last night I dre
amed of you I was so glad I thought you were at
home when I awoke I was dissappointed the little
girls are very kind to me and each other
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I want to send this letter to
Hollidaysburg with Adam tomm
orrow he is going to start part of the
way Aurandt has been over twice
but did not bring them he was
riding both times Adam is going on
purpose for them clothes when you
write tell me how you are off for
clothes and if you need any thing send
a letter and you shall have it next
saturday the big meeting begins at
Fouses church you know it is Easter
Sunday and I wish I wish I could
you some eggs you know it is the
anniversary of chris to ressurrection
I thank you for your kind letters still
continue to pray for us those letters do me
much good I read them over often these
letters to night make 7 seven letters I
got from you and this one makes 5 for
me I dont know why my letters are so long in
reaching you yours come to me soon after they are
wrote if you dont want to sell that sled say so
and I will not sell it Adam will take it any
day dougherty wants it but I would sooner
not gives it to him raise your price if you
wish and let me know I did write to you
about it Adam is going to fix the springhouse
nex week I hope and pray this may reach
you soon and find you well and contented
the children all send their love to you be
assured they think much about you and [?]
pray for you I feel sure now that god will send
you home to us I must close it is nearly 12
oclock at night write often I commend
to god he will take care of you now
my dear Fleetwood Farewell your Mollie Benson
keep in good heart good bye

[3] we are all well this morning sunday and I seal my letter
hope you are well