Letter 48 — January 15, 1875

I seat myself to let you know that we are both well at present hoping when these few lines reach you that they will find you the same. We are having some very cold weather here now and it is so icy we can hardly get around. We had a Christmas tree at Pleasant Hill a Christmas night. It was very nice. We would like for you to come up this winter and stay with us. I have traded nell off, she got too fast for me I traded with John Maxwell and by the way John is blest with a daughter Fan's mother is living with her. We want to butcher a Tuesday, we have butchered three and have three more to butcher. Well I will let Ellie finish, so good bye, Write soon.

*From Ellie:*

Well I guess Lon thought he would let me apologise for not writing sooner as I see he didn't say anything about it. You must not think hard of us for it seems as though we never have time for anything but hard work. We can hear others say I have my work done but we have the first time to say that, yet I wish you could come up this winter. Well as Lon is going to town today, I will have to close for this time. Write soon and we will try and do better next time. So good bye from Ellie.