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2 washed fairly clean by two inches of blessed rain, and out live oaks look almost bright as ever. Most of the orchard though
still is forlorn and drouthy looking and many of the trees are dead. Coleman is hurrying off what grapes are fit to send,
for the weather is threatenig again, and during the last storm the rain seemed to come down with most surprising ease but
with little preparation, and no wind here. I drove around the vineyard with Aunt Margaret a few days ago, and she came here
this morning. She seems much better since the weather has been cool, and I think she is more cheerful and hopeful than usual,
but she also talked about starting to clean 3 her house and yard now that the dust is so nicely settled, but I hope that
she will allow Blanche to help her often. We are in the midst of carpet beating and house washing here, and I have had all
the chimneys cleaned and the dust and cobwebs brushed out wherever possible. Since the rain there has been heavy dew every
night, so, the roofs being damp there is so much less danger of fire now than during the summer. We have only cold suppers,
we lock up the house before dark, and we go early to bed and are early risers also for the mornings have been delightful since
the first rain. Helen rides on Bay-Harry first and then comes in then comes in brisk and hungry for breakfast. 6 Last
week I received a long letter from your sister Annie. She was worried about affairs financial of her church in Portage, a
deficit of 250.00 on salary of Rev. Adam Fawcett, and she asked me to help, so I sent her twenty dollars. Grace Galloway had
visited her mother after spending two months in La Crosse taking treatment for her rheumatic foot. Annie said Joanna wrote
a cheerful account of her life in Philadelphia seeming to be all right. The weather in Portage fine and your sister are expecting
to see you before long. Wanda and Helen will send you letters tomorrow. Let us know how long you will be in New York. Remember
me to Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, and do try to take good care of yourself. Your faithful wife Louie Muir