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Brownsville, Yuba Co., Cal., Feb. 26th, 1881. Dear brother John, Are you wondering what has become of your mountain
friends and if they are washed down onto the plains? Maybe you have been looking for some of us to float past on our way to
the sea. Brownsville has kept its head out of water some of the time, though it gets a washing now and then. Just think what
a big one it got that Thursday before the high water on the plains. I never saw so much water here as on that day. No doubt
you are wondering where I have spent the time since that ten minutes' visit you made me in Oakland, and why I passed by so
silently after promising -- or partly so -- to make you a call on my way up here. I took a wretched cold the week I came
away and felt too miserable to visit with strangers, and so came direct to Marysville, where I stayed a week, feeling too
sick to go anywhere. Then, Mr.Knox's team coming down, I came here, where I have been since December, excepting a brief visit
to Strawberry and Forbestown. The roads have been so rough and watery I have not made the visit to Chico that I intended
to make long ago, but may go over there in March if the weather permits. I had a delightful little letter from Mrs. Bidwell
this winter in which she made many inquiries about you. have not answered it yet. I had sent her a few flowers and sea mosses
which she felt compelled, I suppose, to acknowledge. I am going to spend the summer in Strawberry Valley, if the heat does
not drive me away. I have taken the school there and will be with my old friends the Drakes, beginning school in April, near
the first, if the weather permits. The school here is in quite a flourishing condition, nineteen pupils boarding and some
forty-nine in the school. Mr. Hill and his wife are teaching, and this winter they are assisted by a sister. There is a new
music teacher here now, a Miss Hanna from San Francisco. Mrs. Knox often speaks of you and the lecture you promised the institute
when it was started. Will we ever see you up this way again, think you? Mrs. Knox would give you and your wife a warm welcome
were you to come. Mr. Phelps is putting up a store here and will move up in April. Cousin Jessie is at home studying painting
and music. Hoping to hear from you soon, I am as ever, Your friend and sister, E mily O. P elton 194