RKFP-022

The Grove - northfield Cook Co, Ill's March 25th /52

My Vear Dear Niece

Your letter came last evening - I have answered every letter I have received - Uncle John is old and lazy, and does not often write any letters, except in answer to those he receives from others; and this is something of a task, and sometimes calls for 30 or 40 in a week - But write me as often as you please, and while I can see[underlined] to wield a pen I shall be very apt to reply - Your letters being always gratifying to all of us -

I am sorry to hear of your Dear Moth=ers continued bad health, and of your Fathers sore eyes - I also, have been suffering from weak and irritable eyes - In fact, I have not been able to read[underlined], as usual, in some months - though, hertofore[strikethrough], I have been able to write[underlined] a little, most of the time.

Your cousin, - my good son Charlie - has returned from Buffalo, and is at work grafting plum[underlined] - Charlie has improved very much - He is a good son to me, and I am grateful for the blessing - all my children are good children, but not so considerate as charlie - all are well, and none of them worse[underlined] than other peope's children - though they are not as well taught as they should be - Their mother teaches them a little, but their father, I am sory to say, pays but little attention to their education.

We have no direct corumunication with Uncle Levi's family - but they are well, I believe - Uncle Levi is expected home, from California, in the course of the Spring & summer.

I have not visited Chicago since last fall - Uncle William's folk are well - or ia least, as well as usual - Little Fanny having a disease of the nervous system - but much better than she was, at one time

Uncle Hiram is driving[underlined] on[underlined], as usual - He has a large stock of cattle, and is establishing several Daries[?][underlined] -

Uncle Joseph moves on "in the even tenor of his way" - Has not been quite as well as usual through the winter - but is well now -

The Aunts - Avis and Delia - are in good health, and their matters prosper They will have quite a little Dairy this season -

Uncle Asa has been very much engaged all winter, and his health has been precarious - This will account for his not writing to you as often as he wishes -

Alonzo has not done much, since he returned from California - He has been confined to the house, most of the time, by one ailment or another - Hiram has him and his family, but I fear they will not "draw together" very pleasant=ly or profitably - though Uncle Hi=ram is very desirous of helping Alonzo

There, my sweet niece, I have given you a sketch of all the family - Can you read it? I do not see well, and write very badly of late, though I never wrote very well[underlined].

Either from some of you, or from Asa I learn that your Father has met with serious losses - I hope not ruinous ones? Tell me how it is my Dear niece -

We too, have had seirous losses - the last winter has been a very hard one - Mercury 24[degrees] below[underlined] zero - Even last saturday - four days ago - it was almost down to zero again - only six degrees above -

Our large and promising Peach[underlined] orchard[underlined], - of best budded varieties, just large enough to bear - is entirely killed[underlined] - We did hope to make it pay us some thousand dollars, this summer or next, - But it is winterkilled[underlined] be=fore bearing at all

We have also lost about 8,000 Peaches nectarines & apricots in the nursery, and perhaps many [page torn] thousand other trees - Our bearing[underlined] Plums[underlined] & Pears[underlined] are also pretty much[strikethrough] much "used up" by the winter - and we[underlined] are quite discouraged, of course, and now think of sell=ing our farm, when we can, & seeking a new home, for[strikethrough]

We shall be in no hurry, however and may continue on here, for some years yet -

I can not guess your "good news" - Is mother - [illegible] all of you com=ing to see us? or is some[underlined] one[underlined] to be married? - I hope your "good news" will be something very[underlined] good - but "nous verrous"