2 Hickory Dale 1000 ft above the sea. January illegible /65 Dear John We are pretty well but are fast growing weary of
the many changes which now seem to be of daily occurrence . We now live in a room made in the upper part of the barn next
the orchard we illegible by an outside stair It is hard carrying up the wood water Once I slipt and fell with an armful of
burr oak firewood and sprained my weeping? sinue. The cattle live in the house now - the cows in the cellar - the horses on
the first floor the sheep upstairs 3 Nan will not go past the cellar door but we do the best we can The apple trees are
dug up and planted upon the cold rocky summit of the observatory where I am sure they will not grow well The cattle do not
stand the severe weather well this winter - they stand drawn to- gether like a dog licking a pot Aunt Sally is married and
Lowdy Graham has the whooping cough Write soon or sooner from your Sis Mary P.S. Carrie Muir has enlisted and David is very
angry