1858, Janurary 17, page 1

Jeferson Jan 17th / 58

Dear Mother

I am well
I thought that I
would write a few
lines to you it is
along time since
I wrote to you but
I believe that I have
a good excuse and more
than one to, I had
a lame side and had
to leave my place
and others have filled
it and I have lost it
and cannot get an
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[end of pg 3, begin. (located at top of pg 1)]
this from your same
Horace L Austin
and he hopes he may
never be called in to bad
company as my friend
has done, yours truly

Direct to Dubuque, Iowa