CEHBates039

[Imprint] illustration of Native American Chief: TECUMSEH
CHIEF OF THE SHAWNEES

PACIFIC COAST DEPARTMENT
H. L. A. BATES, GENERAL AGENT 240 SANSOME STREET
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL.
The Shawnee Fire Insurance Co.
Of Topeka, Kansas

Walnut Grove, Cal
June 20, 1909.

Dear Edward:

I received your kind letter the other
day and have just made time to answer it.
I am very glad to see that you are having such
a good time, but be careful of yourself.

Yesterday I went to the + & it was full of bees
& I only got stung four times. Ow!

There is not much news, but there was a swell
fight today, & a man got the biggest & worst
black-eye, I ever saw. I bet his jaw was broken,
his whole left side of the face was black
& yellow. He went & got a revolver to kill the
fellow, but we took it away from him &
he was mad as the dickens. He was drunk.

I went fishing today & caught one 2-lb
black-bass. They didn't bite very well, so I
went swimming & had a swell time.

I saw "bull" Lion & Tom Pickersgill & Capt.
Mansfield, in Capt's scow. They anchored
here overnight so I went on board & had
a swell time til 11 P.M. They are going to
Sacramento & are on a cruise; they were
out three weeks, already, & were going to be
out three weeks more.

Helen invited me to go down to their
place at Carmel, & stay during July, &
I think I will. Nifty, eh?

There is no more to say, so hoping
that you are well, happy, & enjoying
yourself, I am

your loving brother

Norman C. Bates