Transcription:
2 in the Chronicle. Mama has got nearly over her sore throat, Grandma is pretty well and Helen and I are very well and
the cats are lively, Tommy came up to the house two mornings after you left but he stays down in the field most of the time
now. Mrs. Theobalds is still staying here with Grandma Last Saturday the China house burned down and a few trees around
it were killed. they think that it started from the fire they had in the kitchen. The Chinamen were all down in the pear orchard
and when they saw the smoke they ran back to the house wonderfully fast but one end of the house was 3 a mass of flames
so they could not unlock the doors but Mr Furth and Harry Coleman broke in a door and dragged out some rice and a few other
things I could not have believed that so small a building could make such a tremendous fire and then to add to the general
noise and confusion their guns and cartridges went off and made an awful racket but nobody was hurt and it did make a most
beautiful, beautiful blaze. We got a good watermelon a few days ago and enjoyed it very much and today I am making pie out
of one of the pumpkins that Helen raised. Did you find your nothern summer residence in good order