#26



  	Bridgeport, Ala March 13th / '64
Dear wife I just received a letter from you mailed
March 4th and was much pleased to hear from you
I am well as usual I thought I would sit down and
answer your letter while I had time it rather
started me to read about doll being sick for I do
not know wh how you would get along without her
am glad it is no worse give her plenty of ashes
and salt get some tamarack barck and boil it up
and put the juice on her feed dont give her enough
to physic her but give a little every day  .   turn her
our when it is pleasant take the pole out from
between them in the stable and give her all the
room where both horses stand put [illegible in original] in where
the cow used to stand . let doll run loose in the 
stable. and I guess all will be well with her
I think I shall not agree to sit up a whole
week to get our talk out for I think it
[Note on side of letter –
This part pencilled out by Grandma I think]
could be done quicker by going to bed talking
I mean so you see you wont come no such
game over this niger no how we have been at rest
since the Morgan raid which was all a scare
for he was not within 400 miles of here
Norton is a seargeant in our Com and carries
himself well enough John got a letter from
Oscar today and he was no better he had to

use crutches yet. I have not got his roll of
Honor as they were all gone but will get one
soon as I can I think you have had more
deaths accordingly than we have.    Tell baby
he must cry for pa to come back pa will come
as soon as he can.  I should like to see the
little skunk yes I should like to see you all
but there is no use fretting the oats should be
sown about the first of May or near that Corn
should be planted about the 20th of May but
someting must depend on the weather dont
let any of the coarse fodder go off the place
the lay is a good one and they must do their
work well.  The Paymaster is here and will
pay the men up to the first of January which
will leave two months pay due yet and the
shape they have got my papers in there
would not be but little over one months
pay coming so I thought I would not sign
the pay roll for that I think I can keep
you in what money you will stand in need
of until the next time he comes round. dont let
anybody know that I send you money for that
will keep you from getting anything from the
Supervisor I think Herman can get along if you need
the money until you get some more.



			Mar. 13th



more it seems to me that you must have
most of the debts paid by this time dont pay
for the fanning mill unless they get you that at
all as they have not done as they agreed by not
furnishing that extra shoe and sieve for [cleaning?]
oats out of spring wheat which they agreed
to do inside of three weeks or take the mill
back let them take it if they want when the ?
comes due by giving up the note    I think I can
excuse your letters on account of their length
very easy they dont seem long to me but I
suppose I should sing a different song if I
had them to write myself the boys all begrudge
me my letters because they are so long but they
cant have them    they call them the weekly
				       (b)
newspaper.  was very sorry that bade has 
got a sore finger hope you will be all well
when it comes warm weather. I dont think
            me
you tax ^ any to much I dont have to work very
hard but very constant I do not have time to
go and pick up any shells had some nice ones
picked up but lost them in the Morgan scare
perhaps will get some more some time. How
does the wheat look this spring   Write often
and tell all the news this is my last post
stamp send five or six more and oblige

Kiss the children for me, from your Husband
Simeon A Howe to his wife C E P H.
			Simeon A Howe
my hair has not been lifted yet nor yet turned
grey. S A H. God bless you all good bye.