World War I Collection

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.