To Earl Wilcox

		Palmyra May [17?] 1863
		Dear Friend
		I seat myself to
write you a few Lines I recived your
Letter and was glad to hear frome you
we began to think that you had
forgotten us David thinks that
Earl has forgotten him we ar well
and have another Boy he is 9
Weeks old we call him Willie Frank
dont you think that I have enough
to keep me to work Oscar is as
full of Mischief as ever I keep
a young girl to help me I could not
get along without one I sent you a
Book did you get it I will send
you another we ar having very cold
Weather for this time of year our
Spring is quit late we have not
much garden made yet Abby is well
and gets along very well She hears

from her Husband often her
Mother is beter than she was when
we wrote last James Wilcox has
been sick so has Abby [illegible in original]
Marria is getting along as usal I
belive I do not see her very often
Mary Gilbert is well I saw her
at [illegible in original] the other day we wer up
Davids Folks [illegible in original] well what do you
think of the war by this time I
am afraid that our Husbands will 
all have to go before we get through
with it I hope not I had an
Cousin killed in this last Battle
and David had one Die in the
Hospital he was in the same Company
with David [illegible in original] Some of our best
Men [illegible in original] have Died in the Hospitals
Mary my Letter cannot be very
long nor very good for I ccannot
write with a Baby to tend to

Should like to see you and
have a long talk with you for
I could talk and tend Baby both
but I cannot write and tend Baby
tell Earl that he must write to
David and  not wait so long
before he writs he has Looked for
a Letter but ben Disapointed in
			           all
not geting it you must excuse ^ my
Mistaks I have a very poor pen my
Love to you I will close Hoping
to hear frome you soon
		Frome your
		Friend Bell
			Merwin

Be Sure and write
Soon do not fail
Earl			David

Friend Earl As Bell was writing
			    write
To Mary I thought I would ^ a few
lines to you although I do not
think that I owe you any letter
for I have not received but one from
you Since you were here Now Earl
I think it is to bad that we can
not hear from one another oftener
than once in Six months I should
like to hear from you every month
I have just commenced planting my
corn I am planting 11 acres of corn
and potatoes I have hired a man
for 7 months help is very Scarce
here and wages is high I have
not been very well for a few
weeks back but am better now I 
heard from your Uncle Luther the other
day he is about the same that he
has been during the winter and
has another heir Now, Earl I want
to hear from you in less than Six
monts if possible  D Merwin