CEHBates008

Imprinted:
INCORPORATED 1836 [centered]
DUTCHESS INSURANCE COMPANY, [centered]
OF POUGHKEEPSIE, N. Y. [centered]
C. J. STOVEL, MANAGER, SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. [centered]

H. LESLEY A. BATES,
SPECIAL AGENT.

Sunday 11 am
Helena Mont Novr. 2/02 [Nov. with "r" superscript]

My dear little boy Edward,

I have received two very nice letters from
you and some nice drawings of your Mother
and me which you made. It was very good of
you to wish me happy returns of the day and I
send you a lot of Kisses for it. I hope you
and your brothers are all trying hard to take
lots of care of your darling Mother and to please
her in every way. Be gentle with her for
she has loved you and taken care of you ever
since you were born, and is working hard at
home to take care of you all. I was at Bozeman
yesterday morning. I was staying there with
Uncle Fred Culloden and when I woke up, the
ground was all white with snow, and the sidewalks
were all covered with ice. It has all gone now
and there is no snow in Helena where I am now.

Today I am invited to dinner at Geo Hay's house,
he is going to Billings to vote. You know Tuesday
is election day here, as well as in California.

I must say good bye now as I have a lot of
letters to write. Kiss Mother and all you brothers
for me and ask Mother to Kiss you for me.

your loving father H L A Bates

[Written vertically in left margin] Thank you very much for the rubber band.