2 of these mornings yet as we have a good teacher we think it is worth standing the cold for she used to teach in the first
ward in Portage and we are trying to learn all we can We are going to have a spelling school this week but I don't think we
will go We had a weeks vacation between christmas and new year I enjoyed myself very well and had some nice presents I hope
you had as many and enjoyed yourself as well Father and Mother and Anna went to Portage so Mary and I stayed at home and had
good times The people in Portage and around here have been quite alarmed about the smallpox and it was exaggerated a great
deal there was only one case in our district and eight or ten in Portage nearly every body round here is getting vaccinated
even to Jim Ried's mother but we have never disturbed ourselves much about it and we have not heard of any one else taking
it lately. Father went down to Watsons he wanted Mary and Anna to go 3 with him but they felt to big or something so mother
went as far as Portage and stayed there till he came back they started on Monday and came back on Wednesday I think we are
having quite a remarkable winter for there has hardly been any snow yet and I have not had a single sleigh ride but perhaps
we will have some yet for the winter is not half done yet I suppose there is plenty snow where you are. So this is eighteen
Sixty six I think the further back that I can remmembe is eighteen fifty nine I suppose you can remember much further back
than that I must write a composition this afternoon yet so I must now close my letter Mother sends her love in black and white
and I send my love to you in pink and white please write a long letter to me some day when you have plenty of time and not
too much to think about. From you affectionate sister Joanna.