Transcription:
Home, Aug. 6, 1908 Darling Helen. I sent you yesterday a box of peaches a box of pears both picked from your own trees.
The peaches not good, but with sugar cream may be made somewhat edible under desert conditions. The best kinds are not yet
ripe, all are under sized from lack of sufficient thinning lack of spring rains.The pears are the best on the ranch will be
fine in about ten days, after being wrapt in a blanket kept under your bed in the dark. Last week we had hot dismal deadly
north wind weather now followed by cooling reviving sea winds. If all goes well I may be with you Saturday or Sunday. All
the Harriman family except Cornelia expect to be in S.F. today or tomorrow on their way to their Oregon camp, have cordially
invited me to visit them there. I'll be very glad to know Desert Van Dyke to see you all again especially thee my darling.
Heaven keep you. So prays always Your loving father. Should the Harrimans prevail in getting me to go with them to their
Klamath Camp, my visit to you will be delayed only a few days. But at present I intend to see you first of all. I have no
end of other kind invitations as if all my friends had conspired to prevent me from doing any more writing.