[Route] 1 Centreville Pa
September 17 1916

My dear daughter and family

recd your good long letter was so glad to hear from you once more but [sorry] to hear you are not feeling well you are working [too] hard kinder over [done] [don't] you think you had not [ought to] work so hard now at your age Well it is 8 o clock & I am all alone again for your pa has [gone] to church & Ellis & Elmer [came] in for a lunch & they cut up & boxed around till it made me nervous & my hand shakes so I [can't] half write & then I [haven't] felt very well to day I over [done] yesterday I had so much to do Ellis [hasn't] worked very [steady] but will go to work in the morning he has to

[be] [careful] about lifting I [don't] think he will board at home only this week he will get board in town your pa has had a summer [cold] was nearly sick with it but is some better now I think I feel some stranger since the cool weather but I have so much to do you know how it is the fall I have preserved 13 qts of [sweet] apples & want to [peel] some [whole] & made a gallon of elder berry jam I am trying to get all [done] I can before the peaches gets ripe the grapes are turning real fast we have a very nice weather warm after noons but real cold nights but no frost around [here] it turned cold friday morning & before night I had to shut the [doors] & build a fire & it has kept cold till this after noon it is warmer & looks like rain

2

Well your pa and I have had our dinner had new [potatoes] they [seem] quite good our garden [looks] quite good our beans are real good but I [won't] have [any] squashes the seeds rotted in the ground it was so cold & wet. Mrs Putnam had a bad runaway 2 [weeks] ago I will send the [account] of it she [can't] sit up but a little while yet I am afraid her hip will bother her for along[sic] time Jennie came home & helped Addie take care of her Zelma came home with her pa Saturday to stay a few [days] for she is not feeling very well it has been so very hot [here] since it did warm up that it makes old & young nearly sick we have nice shade & grass & yet we [can't] [hardly] live I often think of you in that hot sand & wonder how you live I hope will is better it must make it hard for you to do

so much hard work. The free methodist are holding their camp meeting at pleasantville now Cert Southwicks have a baby boy born yesterday he owns a [automobile] & is [superintendent] of the bed bug Sunday School he is more [engaged] in the work than Earl Gilson is.

My hand shakes so I [can't] half write I have a nice lot of onion sets will try to [gather] them [tomorrow] [Symor's] sister [C]atie has come from Cal she is a [widow] & Symor will go home with her he will take his loom with him. I have sold some of chickens for 22 cts a pound I have a nice flock of [pullets] I will try to go to church tonight I will close with love & best wishes to all Monday this leaves me feeling better & hope it will find you all well it is very hot & muggy will [be] glad when dog [days] is over write when you can.

your loving Mother