Dear Wife, & Children; every one
Last Weeks Mail brought us Ruths, & Watsons Letters of the 30th Oct of which we were all very glad; as we felt anxious to know that your anxiety on our account was in some measure relieved. I have now the pleasure of saying that all those here that were sick are some improved since I wrote last; Jason is able to work considerable; John, Owen, Fredk, & Salmon; have become quite stout: Henry & Oliver are gaining but are not yet strong. We have now got both companies into midling [sic] comfortable Shanties; have got most of the Hay into Stacks; & considerable of the Corn husked. Have also something done towards Two Houses; One for John, & Owen; the other for Jason; so that we may now say that matters in general are once more in a progressive state; & a tolerable degree of cheerfulness seems to prevail. We have great reason to be thankful for this. Next Month the Free State party are going to try; & get a Constitution adopted making Kansas Free; & as we understand them to be a decided Majority; we believe the great victory will follow before long. We expect to begin next Week to prepare for building a House for Orson Day, & Family. This Week (so far) has been pleasant; with constant hard freezing at Night. Cattle & Horses make a tolerable living on the low grounds as yet. Mr Adairs folks were getting much better when John was out there on Saturday last. I wrote in my last that a great improvement could be made in the House you live in; by covering it all over with cheap straight edged Boards; up, & down from the ground (or Barn fashion); not driving the Nails in so far but that they can be drawn easily. I really hope you have got some money from the avails of the Cattle in Connecticut before this; to enable you to buy another Cow if you need more milk than you get; & also other things you need. I hope to hear by this Weeks Mail that you have got that money. We myself & Boys are all rather poorly supplied with Winter clothing but are not suffering. If I could have been spared from here I could easily have earned enough to have fixed all up nicely; but we shall get along; & you need not worry about us. The Douglas Papers sent us, are a great treat; & I hope some of the Boys will receive them regularly, after you have read them. It seems that my Wife has worn out her Pen entirely; as I do not get even a scratch of it since I left North Elba. If it should so happen that you get money from the Cattle so that you can spare any to be applied by Ruth on Henrys accounts; & at the [Page B] same time all be comfortable you may do so; but do not any of you go without what you need if you have the means of getting it. Will some of you write regularly? Your Affectionate Husband, & Father
John Brown