Transcription:
4 if we could have made it out, I suppose you will have heard by this time of Maggie's little Jessie she is a fine stout baby,
I had a note from Maggie lately she feels somewhat better and not quite so nervous as she has been for some time back, her
girl of sixty left her in a few weeks taking with her two rolls of Maggie's butter and telling some one she had given her
one for her Christmas the other for her New year's and that illegible could work as well as her, so much for her. Father has
bought a house and lot just outside of Portage he is building a stable and means to build a cistern and make things comfortable.
I supose Anna says I must tell you that George has got the whooping cough and that she will soon get it You known James Whithead
enlisted last fall his regiment went to Kentucky he was there only a short time when he was taken sick he lay in the hospital
a long time hardly able to tell his wants you know how much there must be in such a place to make any one sick at heart even
though he be in health, he grew tired of it got his discharge and started for home although they told him it was no use as
he would certainly die on the road he said he did not want to be buried there anyway he started about noon the cars rode all
that day and night all the next and arrived at Portage the next night, he was taken to the house of an accquaintance where
he has been three or four weeks he got home on Friday I think 00320 1 Fountain Lake 2 March 1863 Dear Brother John We received
your long looked for letter about a month ago, also the catalogue sometime previous; unfolding your last John the first words
that met my eye were I am at home, contented and happy , well after all come to anylize my own mind this evening I am at home,
contented happy we have had quite a snowy day, and if you could have peep'd in this afternoon you would have seen us, (all
four) busy discussing a tin panful of pop corn, an hour or so later you might have heard us from the upper gate as if Bedlam
were loose, and if you had not been scared to come near the house you might have seen me with one on each knee shaking down
the pop, and singing and laugh -ing like all possessed ; John I have a good many such days this winter. moreover, what do
you think? Sarah is learning to trip it on the light fantastic toe , it would make you laugh John to see me with the poker
for a bow, and left arm for a Fiddle imitating