S[t]ate of Mississippi Oktibbeha Co Sept 24 1861
Dear companion i now resume my pen in hand
to try to let you know how your family is at
this time we are all well but the baby he
has got a coal and his eyes are veary soare
the rest has bin well ever sence you left oanly
me i hav had another spell with my back
and hips worse then the spell i had before you left
but i am well now i recieved your letter and
likeness yesterday whitch gave me grate satisfaction
to heare frome you and to see your likness if i
could not see you cousin John toald me to tell
you that he faired fine that knight after he left
you mother & Pa come a tuseday after you left
and they never heared you was going to start
untill sunday eavning i hav sheared the sheep
and sent the wool to the factory but cannot get it
in four weeks but i have got thread and cards
i have killed a beaf and soald one quorter and loa[n?]
one and i hav soald the hide and tallow all for cash
i have had the pigs marked & they done well
the children pulled three hundred & forty
bundels of fodder that was good after you left
the children never comenced picking of
cotton untill yesterday morning it was
so hot and the ground was so wet
that i thought it was best to wait
Mr guinn ses he dos not like the ide of
bilding of a house with out he can git
some land of his oane to bild on
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William ses tell Pa he has bin to columbuss
he went out thare with Mr Danel
i went to meeting last saterday & sunday
and heard brother Noris preach and i went
and staid with elizar Oswalt a saterday night
they was all well but the baby hit had the chills
cousin Nancy brooks little girl is dead & cousin
kisey ragins little boy was buried last saterday
it is gitting late and i am not righting nothing
very interrestin & i think that i had better quit
i would like to read a letter from you every
weeke at least Pa wright & and do not right
no flattery i would tell you how loansom
and disolate i feele if i could but pen & ink
cannot express it but i try to put my
trust in god and he is able to do all things well
but i heare so mutch bad newes that i am
all most out of hart pray for me
Permelia Oswalt