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I also wrote a poem for Mrs Judge Russell
of Haywoods on the death of the Judge
& have her kind reply & compliments
& all of these poems were published in
their home papers. I have seen great
sorrow myself & I try to comfort the
mourner & although poverty & ill health
has been my lot - for years I do not
envy the rich but my heart goes out
in pity to the sorrowing ones that
gold cannot releive [sic]. I have a beautiful
letter from Mrs Henry Ward Beecher
& the dear old Lady tried to find
some way to have my poems entitled
The Rifted Rook of Ages published
in book form but she had not
the means & I had not & therefore
it remains unpublished. This month
of June has a sadness to me that
will never be effaced. On the 20th
day of this month 1892 my dear
noble father breathed his last in
Grass Valley this state. He came
to this state from Michigan seeking
health & one of his sons came with
him. He took the isthmus fever &
only lived five weeks. Then my eldest
brother one of the best-educated men
in southern Michigan & one of Gods
true noble men entered the civil
war & was thrown into Libby prison
after months of suffering came home
to die. But dear Mother died first
after having her home destroyed by
fire and loossing [sic] all of the precious
mementoes of dear father. In a few
months our childhoods home & nearly
all our property was gone & our loved
ones were in their graves. Those who
had helped the needy & friendless
all their lives. My fathers & mothers
families are noble in Christian
virtues & pure characters. My Grand
Mother was cousin of John Q Adams
My family now numbers as yours once
did three. I have a noble kind
intelligent husband & full of energy
In our little rented house hangs