McFarland-Russell Letter, July 16, 1871 - Page 3

how are you getting along now since you have got rid of such a pest
Rob. I dont want you and Mag to hurt yourselves drawing water.
Kate you must not allow Mag to tease you too much. Kate tell me
the truth what were you looking so sad about the morning I left it
certainly was not because I was leaving. you were looking very sad
about some thing. you must cheer up and quit looking that way. it
seemed to me like I was leaving home that morning when I left
. Some of the folks were very much surprised When I came home. they
thought I had gone of to get married but I fooled them that time
. I will get some of the Girls to write off those songs I promised you
I will send then up next mail. The name of that plant I was telling
you about is [Tania?] it come from Mrs. [Grimes?] I told her the first
chance she got to send you some of it and she said she would
do so with the greatest of pleasure. how is Ma is she improving any
tell her that Ma says she must be sure and come just as soon
as she gets able to travel. tell her that she thinks she will get
well right a way you must keep teasing her til she does come. tell
her if there is any thing in Orange that she wants, to let me know
and I will get it for her. we would be very glad to have her come and
stay a month or two with us if she would just make up her mind to leave
home. Kate I believe it is more trouble than anything else that is the
matter with her. Pa did not have quite Irons enough in the fire he has
sent for a Shingle Machine he thinks he will have it up and
running in five or six weeks. as the old saying is the more a body has
the more they want and I think that is the way with him. well if
he succeeds he will make a great deal of money. for there is more
money in Shingle Machines than there is in anything else in this
county. well Kate this is a great letter but I cant help it I am
bound to fill up with something I cant bare[sic] to see short letters
you bet I miss the fruit cant you send me some peaches do please.
The Evening after I got home I went down and brought Miss Fannie
up to Aunt Laura and we had some music her and I were the
musicians she played on the accordion while I [fanned?] her and
Me and [illegible] danced