Transcription:
4 do not quite stagnate A letter from Mary yesterday tells us that Maggie has another grandchild at Crete, we do not know
whether son or daughter I must write to Maggie and to David as I am owing both letters. I do not hear anything of your present
work. How are you occupied this winter? With kindest regards to your family I am Affectionately Joanna 1 Portage
Wis Jan. 13, 1897. Dear Brother John: I was just inwardly scolding myself for not having written to you at the holiday
seaon, or later, to thank you for your Christmas remembrance of us all, when along comes another kindness by way of Sarah
in the form of an X bill. I do not believe I deserve any kindness from anybody, for I am becoming worse and worse about letter
writing, or any expression of sentiment 02218