Letter from Mitilda Ferguson & Sarah Ferguson, Philadelphia to Eliza Steel

		[Page 1]

                                     Phila.  Nov,9th 1877

Dear Sister Eliza
                               We received your ever
welcome letter which we were thinking much long
for we were very sorry for your loss & trouble
which you met with but we ought to feel
thankful for our own health & life we were
very glad to hear of you being well and able to
get around again & hope your increasment
will be much comfort to you Dear Sister
you talk of us going home & going into business
the only thing is that it would cost a 
great deal to get us there & I think it
will be a long time before we get there as
we cannot think of such a thing yet times
here Eliza are not like what the[they?] used
to be but I hope they will be better. Johnny is 
working in the oil works & David is in the
country a farmer & Mary is still shirt making
& Kate is working home with Mother & I have
had nothing scarce to do all summer Uncle
David & Aunt Maria & family is well
and doing well only he drinks so heavy he
is talking of going home very often ---but that
is like every thing else Sister Aunt Eliza 
is well & writes occasionally to mother
She still lives in New York she talks
of going home she thinks she will do better
there than here & I agree sister it costs to [too?]
much to dress in this country to save any
thing I must close this is my first but not
my last I hope when you write let us 
have a long one it has to come so far
& you write so short a one you give
me no news Dear sister Mother still continues

Page 2

in the Groceries business She is not very strong in
ability now She has kept us all ever since papa
died it is a change, Sister brother Thomas & family
are well and doing very well but like many others
he is all for himself. He has not a large family
& business is improving every year he has a grand
house of his own but if so that he knows how
to take care of it & worked for it brother Samuel
has been with him scince[since?] papas death he clothes
him & schools him & will learn a great deal
of business in being with him he is as good a 
boy as there is living Sister I wish we were
all at home again I liked it out here a 
great deal better when we first came here than
I do now the wages is not paid that used
to be neither to boys or girls & work is very
scarce when you write again Mother says
you must let her know if Jenny & Mary. A.
Colhoun is still living in the same place
& mention to her of all the neighbours it is
a long distance & so you might give us some
news I wish I were talking with you in
place of writing I would tell you a great deal
more Christmas will soon be with us now
it is a grand day here Christmas here
is celebrated in this way by giving presents
& getting & also a feasting day I hope some 
Christmas we will all be together if I write all 
Mother wants me I would write all day I close by
sending our love to Grandma & Aunt Mary A & Uncle
& cousin Willie I know they must take it very hard
of Papas death remember us to all our old
accquaintence [acquaintances?] & friends I close we all send our 
love & waiting for a immediate reply Good by

[written at top of page]
from your sister Sarah & your loving Mother
till death write soon let Uncle Sam know
Charles Park & family are all well doing
                  sis sister never have the luck to come out here