cam_hparker_2311_f002_001.1

San Francisco Jany [January] 14th 1853

Dear Mother,

Your kind letter dated Nov. 29th
was received the 7th inst. & I was very happy to hear
that you were all well & I hope you will continue so.

Was pleased to hear that Thanksgiving passed so
pleasantly with you & that you were obliged to wait upon
no one but yourselves. The manoeuvers [maneuvers] of our aristocratic
relations for the purpose of being invited to partake
of your nice dinner were truly laughable, but after
all it appears that they were obliged to prepare their
dinners themselves. Hope they enjoyed it & that Mr
T. got his pay for the turkey & fixins. Should judge
from what you wrote that you all had a considerable
fun out of it. I was not a little surprised to hear of
the marriage of "Miss Mary Hall" in fact should
not have been more so to have heard of the marriage
of Aunt Lydia Chase or Miss May Bowers, but I suppose
Miss Hall thought that twas "better late than never"
then took up with the very last chance.

You also wrote that Wm. Hantwell [William Hantwell] was married & I
think that on my return home I shall find most of
my old acquaintances married off, especially if they
go on at the rate they have been going the past sea-
son. My health continues good with the exception
of a cold I have had for 3 or 4 days past which is
better however today & I feel quite smart again