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Chicago. June 25th 1887
My Dear Mother

In Hughes last letter from you
I was surprised to notice that you felt
hurt at my long silence. I assure you
my weekdays & Sundays have been full -
for more than a month have been doing all
of my own correspondence by hand my
stenographer having left for better job. It comes
severe on me but bus. is light thro the summer.
I think you all owe me one letter & some of you
two but that is a flimzy excuse for my not
writing. July 12th Hazel was baptized.

I enclose program of picnic that you will
probably get the very day. I am doing most
of the work as usual. Thursday from 10
am to 6 P.M. was purchasing the prizes that
are all to be nice cost $39.70 Frankie May
& Fay will contest & all of the neighborhood
children are in training. We have had two
deaths recently in our locality, play mates of our
children boy 11 & Girl 9 malignant Dyptheria
& two more very low. Thus far all is well in our family.
We talk of sending Frankie out in country near
Aurora to board at a Farm House. School closed
Thursday F M & F all took part in Closing exercises