cams_bawatson_b3153_f008_001_04

the best thing for you to do now is to devote yourself entirely to your
dear babies, thinking only of my returning to reap the rich harvest of
love which you are [?saving] up for me. Deary I do not think
I shall ever have the heart to go Even down in town when I get
home without kissing those sweet lips of thine. I wish I could
do so now for I think it would cure mine which are very [dry?]
from riding in the wind. Otherwise my health is very good as
also is Bilson's. We in fact every other member of the co. you must
not neglect to write to me very often I shall probably be able to
reach San Francisco by the middle of September at the furthest and
I shall then expect to get letters enough from you to keep me reading
a week at least. I shall occupy a week in reading them over & over
dont [don't] forget to request the post master at san francisco [San Francisco]
to hold on to the letters until they are caled [called] for. direct it so
on the back of your letters otherwise they may be sent to the dead
letter office. I shall continue my history in my letters though you may
never receive this one but if you should fail to receive any one of them I
shall be able to supply their place by reference to my journal. it is now
8 oclock [o'clock] at night and all the camp are assembled round the campfire
singing "Old Hundred" Billson & Cabiness are accompanying them on
their instruments it sounds very fine away out here where such
sounds were never heard before. It has entirely stoped [stopped] the croaking
of the frogs in the adjacent stream. They have now changed the tune
to the "Dead March in Saul" which reminds me that we pased [passed]
the grave of a young man yesterday from St Louis. A Dr. Sims who
died of dropsy and was burried [buried] by the way side a monument to call
the attention of all to the fact that we are but grass before the sickle
but I am not wont to become the parson so I will change my key
and talk of something more agreable [agreeable] to wit to tell you again how much
I love you my dear I know I do my heart feels like I had left the
half of it behind and so I have too. The biggest part by a long shot. Kiss
my boy for me every day and teach him to love his father. I shale [shall] expect
that he will be able to spele [spell] by the time I come home wont [won't] I be proud of
him. Though my paper is out so I must kiss you sweet good night my dear
sweet wife. Your affectionate Husband

B. A. Watson