Clark August 23 1876
My Dear Hugh
I am very happy this morning to have
the privilege of answering your kind letter for
which I have been anxiously waiting and I also feel
grateful to God for his goodness to you across the
mighty deep that he has heard [torn] answered
prayer on your behalf. I hope his goodness to
unworthy us will constrain us to love and serve him
I am very happy to know that you found your dear
Mother alive and that she recognised in you her Son
and that you are enjoying your visit so much with
your friends I hope that it will be a great benefit
to your health I was very glad you were not sick
on the voyage many times I was thinking of that
when you were crossing Dear Hugh be grateful to
God he is a friend that [______?] [____?] Hugh I
must now say something about how we are getting
along with the Harvest everything is going along
splendid the boys are more anxious than when you
were here they have all in the barn only the oats
in the far place and they are wetting them now they
are going to have everything right when you get home
The fall was lonesome [______?] [____?] we are
living in the hope that it will not be long to you
are back again I trust that the God that rules the
[____?] will bring you safe to your home dear Hugh
I am wishing the days and hours to fly Swiftly by I
need not tell you that I think the very long I feel
lonesome you know all about that yourself I have
been one evening with [M____?] Follis and
one with sarah and that is all I have visited since
you left I cant bear to leave the house
Dear Hugh I often think if you were here now I
could not consent to let you go but some times I
think it would be wrong to prevent you from going
to see your Mother no doubt you will feel very
lonesome when leaving her again but it will not be
very long till we shall all if faithfull meet where
passing shall be no more I trust she has her peace
made with God and that his presence will be with
her over the Jordan and that She will meet with the
loved ones gone before Dear Hugh we have been all
well since left I hope we will be preserved from
mischief or death till you return it has been a very
warm harvest the people say the warmest that has
been for a long time we never had a drop of rain
from the night you went away till after you landed
and only one however since that to the present
Dear Hugh I would have written to you before this
only John told me he had written I hope you got his
letter I respect you will be about [____ing?] when
you get this letter as it would be dangerous to
[____?] the l[____?] [____?] in the Season I hope
you will have a pleasant time in coming back as you
had in crossing over we have had no letters from
any of the friends [____?] you left I must bring my
letter to close the friends are all well the boys
join me in love to your mother Eliza and Robert and
in par [______?] and the friends dear Hugh I remain
as ever your affectionate
Wife Jeannie Jennings
unto death
with kindest love to all
Goodbye
