Spring Valley Filmore Co Minn
					April 26th   64


Dear Brother & Sister
					I received your long looked
for letter of March 13th with great pleasure I assure you  It was
[illegible in original] true that Edwin always speaks of you in his letters but still
I want a letter from yourself once in a while  Im so glad
that Charles was able to go and visit Nelson  We heard by Edwin
that they hardly expected him to live until spring and I was
expecting hard news but perhaps he will last some time
[illegible in original] more trouble multiplies upon him. Penn papers
takeng in this town by their old neighbors contain the
announcement of the death of his son Charles in camp at
Pittsburg a short time since. No particulars as to his sickness
are given only the name and the names of some others who
went from that vicinity but had died since the first of
March. It must be him and it will be very hard news
to the family. His acquaintance tell us that he was a
very smart intelligent young man indeed    Edwin in
his last letter received last evening had heard of his enlistment
[and?] was rejoicing hoping to meet him as that division was
not very far off. He too will feel disappointed.      O me
this cruel war when will it end     How many of the good
and true have been sacrificed already to the demon spirit
of war and how many more must yield up their precious
lives before its demands are satisfied God alone knows and
To think tht this work of human butchery that has been
going on for 3 long years has been inaugurated for the
wicked purpose of riviting closer and closer the chains
of the poor. blacks and it seems as if they will never give up
while there is a man left to fight   You say that you
are glad that I write to Edwin  I can tell you that I
am doubly repaid in every letter I get in return
Not many such letters as his are written home by young men
of his age There are but few so thoughtul and observant
as Edwin I often neglect to answer letters nowadays

	         put
but I dare not ^ off one to him any longer than is really
necessary  It seems wicked to make him wait he appears so
pleased to hear from me   I have had ten letters since
since he has been in Virginia and I preserve them like so
much gold dust read them over and over  They will be 
always new and I shall write to him as long as I am
able if he lives  But it is becoming quite a task for me
I cant say Im even comfortable much of the time my
old complaint is hard on me yet and has been all winter
besides my stomach is distressed with wind It seems to set
in after every bit of coughing and nothing will releive it
that I can get  It has troubled me more than a
year  I think it a kind of Dyspepsia  It worries me all 
the time  I have had to stop writing twice since I
began this letter on account of it.   This is a very pretty
town small but pleasant   All the sects have a representation
there is some bigotry and much of that spirit of Stand by
thyself feeling amongst them yet on the whole they are
very good neighbors far better than their creeds imply
The universalists had a service at ten oclock last sabbath
The methodist & Congregationalists manifested a wish to
to shut us out of the house but finaly thought
better of it and behaved quite decent O dear I didnt
sleep much last night and am getting sleepy over this
letter Charles s wife is here today and Ive been telling
her that I wished she could finish this for me but
she thinks she could not think what to say for me
she aint used to such a medly of words
I have had a letter from Albert Havens lately He writes
that they are all well as usual Edwin sent his photograph
in the last letter but one It dont look much like the little pale
faced boy that I saw in Michigan. Do you live near an artist
I should be so glad to get yourss both of you Ive got [Harts?]
and Betsys Photograph. That is all of our folks Ive got
and Im away from all of you so far that I have little
hopes of ever seeing you again and a likeness would be such a
comfort  There is no artist near here but once in a while
one comes along but I have, not had one taken  Im so lean
and poor that I dare not set for one It would frighten the
natives Im sure but I do want yours bad and if they wont
cost too much send them will you Im sorry Melinda is so
grieviously afflicted  It is hard living  Did she ever try [Kennedys?]

				       Charles wife
great Discovery  It has helped Alettas ^ brother greatly and others
that I know I would try it But my sheet is full again
and I must wind off in a hurry  Write a little oftener wont you
say once in six months if no more   My love, to you all
		From your affectionate sister
			Jeannette H Duncan

[line illegible in original]
The postmaster is a perfect blackhead)

[Written on the left side of Scan 2]

Where is [Love?] now and how is she and her late husband [illegible in original] Melinda once discribed