John & Matilda Ferguson, Philadelphia to Eliza Jane Steel
[Page 1] Please send our kind love to Mother Samuel Mary Anne and William I return kind thanks to Dear Mother for her kind Present although I could not use any of it I had been 2 weeks laying sick at that and I had used no victual of any kind except medicine from the Drug store I got her letter on the 12th June dated the 28th May and I had old man P McAneny that was there came to see me 2 days after I was glad to hear of them being all well and he told me that Mother looked quite smart which I was glad to hear I hope William has succeeded well at his examination in this month it is a nice situation but young men do not get situations as schoolteachers here it is all female teachers so he would have no chance in this country so the best thing is to be satisfied where he is this has been a very severe summer here with heat and thunder storms. Last Thursday night we were visited with a thunder storm and destroyed a great many houses we were pretty [pretty?] well scared on account of houses being demolished all around us [Page 2] I would have rote [written?]to my friends in Droit but I thought by riting[writing?] to yous [you?] that it might encourage yous [you?] to rite [write?] me a letter I will rite [write?] soon to them yous [you?] will please Leave them to see this as soon as you can at all when you receive it I thought to [too?] one letter would do as I am not in as good a way of riting [writing?] as I hope I will be in a short time what the Centinial [Centennial?] is one hundred years since they gained the independence the Centenial buildings cover some hundred acres of ground it is 2 years in building mostly wood work and glass every country has come here to exhibit mashienery [machinery?]and the produce of their country Rusia [Russia?], Prusia [Prussia?] France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal England, Scotland, North & South America and all other parts of the world Johnny & David is with the Portigals [Portugese?] it is not easy to understand their language but some of them can talk English Your Affectionate Father & Mother John & Mitilda [Matilda] FergusonClose