cams_hparker_2311_f004_027_1

San Francisco Dec 2d 1855

Dear Mother,

I, as I usually do, received
a kind and welcome letter from you by last
mail, and was pleased to hear from you
again. Am sorry Harriet was so unwell
but as she was better before you mailed
your letter, I now hope that she is as well
as usual. I received her letter, and was
pleased with it, and shall try and answer
it by this mail, as I do not intend to allow
letters from my friends to remain long unan-
swered. H. must be careful through the winter
and not expose herself to the cold any more
than is absolutely necessary. For the sake of
her health and comfort. I wish she could
be here with me, as the weather being so mild
and pleasant, I think she would enjoy good
health. If it were not for tearing you all
away from home, or if I thought the change
would be an agreeable one, I should sometimes
wish you would come to California, but
you [underlined] could never feel contented here, I think
so I do worry to wish you to leave the
home that to you, has been so long, a
home. It were much better for me to return
to you, than for you to come to California.