#32



		Elk River, Tenn.
		      Monday April 24, 1864
My dear I got a letter from you yesterday dated
the 13th glad you was all well you said Doll
got a nice colt well I am glad of it hope she will
do well and not make you any more trouble
was sorry to think you would be afraid I
thought that steer died through your neglect
as it happens I know you by experience you
are not apt to neglect anything but yourself and
that is all I have to fret about that you will take
care of every thing but your own dear self is all
I fear I had rather everything on the place should
die or go to ruin than have you expoze your
health and life for such things I am not such
a lover of worldly goods as to make you my
Slave to take care of a little bit of property if
I did tell you when I came away that you must
Stir around and see to things it was not inten-
tional for you to sit up all night and work all
day. Well I have give you quite a blowing up
I guess you wont want two letters this week
I am well at present we are going to move
from here to-morrow down the other side of
Bridgeport a few miles the boys here are all
well they are all busy building block houses

along the railroad so the soldiers can most of them
go to the front to fight the battles of their country.
40 men in one of them So most all of the men can go to
the front it is hard work for me to think of
matter enough to fill a letter every week but
I will try to fill it with something if it is not
quite so cunning I am cooking yet want you to
send me a receipt for making mince pies. you
signed your letter to me as your hungry husband
well I am not hungry for anything to eat
but sometimes get very hungry for Spiritual
food but generally sit down and read my testa-
ment awhile and that helps fill me up. Well
I have got rid of most of my Infidel principles
I see so much recklessness here and so much
					            are
wickedness that I have to stop and co(n)sider ^ these
men prepared to die well I mean to be prepared to
meet my God in peace if God will give me strength
to devote myself to him. Constant exposure to
so much wickedness and danger tends by a
little effort of my own to develop the finer
feelings of my nature. Well may God prosper
you all at home is my prayer each day
kiss the children for me tell Arden that nice
colt I guess will be nice for him to ride after

you telling about the birds I dont think
it means anything but a happen so.
You accused me of being hired by the
contrabands well I shant own up to
nothing but will pick a bone with you
so I guess you will have to own up to
some thing you said the whole eight of
you saw those birds but when I left 
there was only seven in the family so
I guess you have got a contraband hid
away. come now my dear what do you
think of that I think you are the one
to own up now what say you.
it does not require much patience to read
your letters I can read them as fast as I can
printing you are improving on your writing
very much so dont make any excuses I
am satisfied to get enough of your dear
letters to read the water is so high
in the river that you cannot find any
shells at present when the water goes down
I shall send you some shells you have got
all the money now that I have sent you
I have got five dollars more to send you
but dare not spare it at present for fear
if I dont get any better I shall need it myself

				Apr. 24, 1864.


it is one year old dont lay any heft on coltas
back this summer for it will spoil his back
sometimes only the heft of your hand will hurt
them I am afraid if you take Creasingers
other sheep you will have more than you or
the farm or yourself can take care of Well I
must quit to get dinner good bye for this
time from your ever affectionate and
loving husband    Simeon A. Howe
to his tired wife   C E P H.