North Carolina alexander County
January the 29 186[3?]
dear Cousin it is with great pleasure
that i seat my self to a dopt you a few lines
this morning to let you now that we are all
well at present hoping that hose feu lines
may finde you enjoying the same i receid
your leter and was glad to her from you
but we was looking for you at the time
i got the leter we herd that you and
Jones was a coming we had a singing
at our house las nit i tell you their was some
of the girls her the house was ful and runing
over [?] your red hed was her i told hur
what you sed and she sed she was going
to rit to you the first chance maby
and send it by the boys what are up
an going to tell you a litle gok on [1]
frank and pery they war at the singing
las night they went home with a cople of
girls they went clear home sit them
an took their seats for a [??] set and
they found out jim Howrd and his
wife war their you auto see the litle
felows run frank has got a girl of his one
now tell Jones that will leave
to dance in the troft i think
[page 2]
i tell you it is calry case with
the litle felows up here i think they
can cary the day the girls have to
along with them a litle for
we are a fraid that we will forget how
to glant with the gentle men before
they get back but i recon thay will not
want to glant with us tho we nead not
scear our selvs you aut to see sam eyes
now they [??]t but a haf a our high now
and [??] how high doo you recon they will
bee gan he gets ove the spree at miss paterson
they is a car ding their to morow[?] so nothing
at this time only remember your cousin
untill death R gaultney John [??]
i send you a brad of my hare Mother ses houda
and all the rest of them ses houda to you
Jones you’re your Mother told me to rit you a few
lines that they are all well they receid
yor leter and was glad to her from you
and if you wod hury home that you will
get a mess of taters H J Gaultney
Pheba R G
houda Jones