[Page 1]
April 6 1878
My Dear beloved Daughter
Elisa Jane I sit down to right [write?] you with
greiff [grief?] thinking that you are so
far from me but I hope when
this reaches yous [you?] it will find
yous[you?] all in good health as it leaves
us in at present and thank God for
his kind mercy towards us all
I suppose by this time you think I have
forgot yous [you?] but never to Death
I was sory [sorry?] to hear that brother
Sam was so poorly but I hope
he had got all right again
I hope grandmother is well and
able to go around and sister Mary
Ann and Willy tell him to right [write?]
soon and give me all the
news he can give me as regards
myself I have a good deal of troble [trouble?]
on my mind I keep the store as yet
it gives me a good bit of work to do
[Page 2]
it is what the [they?] call a provision?
store I will let you know some
things that I keep fresh beef and
fresh pork salt pork puddings [puddings?]
and doughs and lard butter
and eggs and ham pottoes [potatoes?] and
cabage [cabbage?] turnips onions bread and
cakes flour and chees cheese?] vinager [vinegar?]
and molasses coleoille? I keep cole [coal?]
and wood for the fire and soap
of different kinds starch and blue
honey and tomatoes and peaches
and seetcorn [sweetcorn?] these are preserves
tin cans also pruns [prunes?] and honny [honey?]
and also [also?] water buckets and
brooms that is for seeping [sweeping} the floor
also dustbrushes and shoebrushes
and srubing scrubbing?] brushes cloispins [clothespins?]
anad cloeslines [clothes lines?] coffee, tea and
sugars of different [different?] kinds and
spices of all kinds the [they?] are to [too?]
many to mention I attend [attend?] to all
my self but Kate and Samuel
helps me till he goes to school
[Page 3]
Kate does all the work of
house washing and scrubing [scrubbing?]
Mary sows [sews?] William runs
around he cannot get work it is
hard for men to get work this
winter the times was so dull
the [there?] were a great deal in want
but thank god we had plenty of
every thing Johnny is always
at the oil works he is foreman
their [there?] has good pay but never
saves any of his money he pays
me his bord [board?] what he would have
to pay the strangers I have got
nothing from my children since
your father died Mary makes
her bord [board?] and Kate and I clothe
them it takes a great deal of money
buy shoes and clothing here
Sary [Sarah?] is in the country she never
comes in to see me she was
in once this nine months
So you may think of me
[Page 4]
the strangers very kind to
me I have good friend and
well respected David and his
wife is well her father is very
kind to them the [they?] have a nice
way of living but his pay is
small She is a wife near her confinement
Thomas and wife and child
is well he was here yesterday
he never gives me anything
he never assists me in getting
anything the strangers think it
hard of him and him so well
off but God is kind to me he is
the giver of every good gift
he giveth to me when I do not
ask and thanks and glory be to him
now and for ever Uncle David and
family is well he is still working
in the gas house he is living in
the citery [city?] he wants you to right [write?]
him a long letter and let him
know all about all neighbours
Do not forget
[Written upside down and along side of page 1 and 4]
No more at present but remain your loving mother to death
Mitilda Ferguson
