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Eckford Tuesday Feb 10th 1863
My Dear Boy
How are you today we recieved
a letter from you last Saturday night and was much please to hear that
you were well as common and do hope the poor sick boys are all getting
better now we have heard that poor Cicero was dead but
it was a flying report and we dont know the truth of it and
Henry R Cook started yesterday to him and if he is yet alive and can be
moved he will fetch him home you speak of there being
many deserting my child but dont you ever desert it is against the law
and more than that it is so dishonorable that I cant think that my boy
will ever do so if you will do right and trust in your
Heavenly Father he will preserve your life and bring you safe to your home
and friends again I have all the confidence in the love
and power of god if we only trust to him and ask him daily to take care
of us
I went a Saturday to Mrs Mombaues[? this name is spelled Mumbrew
on 1870 census] staid till Monday
they all joyn in sending their love to you O Crockers
funeral sermon was preached at the ?lains Church on Sunday last and one
week before I C Griggs[Gregg's?] was preached at Homer,
we had a letter from your aunt Elizabeth a few days ago she spoke of
having a letter from you and H R that they were much pleased to get,
in your last to us you spoke of selling your revolver to get money
to send to us dont sell it just to send money home
you may need it and if not you need the money yourself
I cant write much more now for I have to write to aunt E today yet
you have improved very much in your writing since you have been there
but you must put a capital I insted of Italic in speaking of yourself and
put an e in are it is the buty[beauty] of writing to
spell right I dont observe it enough myself
now be a good boy and keep up good courage that will be a great
help to your health this letter from your ever affectionate
Mother Martha B Wells
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My Son,
You wanted to know about the price of different articles here, I will
try to give you a few as samples,
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Stoga boots, are 4dols,¼,
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Kip[?] 5dols to 5½,
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Cotton stuff for pants, such as we used to get for 25cts, 60 to 70cts,
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Denims, 30 to 35cts,
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brown Sheeting, 28 to 30cts,
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Calcico, 20 to 30cts,
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Cotton yarn, such as we used to get for 28 to 30cts is not to be had for
less than one dollar the pound,
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Coal Oil has been selling for 1$25cts but is getting cheaper now,
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no sugar to be had less than 12½cts from that to 15,
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Coffee from 30 to 40cts,
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tea from $1,00 to $1,50,
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tobacco is 25cts for the verry poorest kind and from that up to $1,00 per
lb,
so you see it will break largly into a dollar bill to go shopping, the
ladies now take 12yds of Calico for a dress so they cant get much of a
dress for less than 3dols whereas one year ago one dollar would get quite
a good one
John bought him a coat and hat a short time ago and paid 4 dols for
the coat, and all cotton at that, he has caught fur to the amount of 7
dols, and since he cut him[self?] I have been trapping for just
10 days and have got 2 rats[muskrats], so you see that I
am not much of a hand at that business,
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Wheat is up to one dollar and 63cts and is coming up verry fast, I think
it will be worth 2 dols in a short time,
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corn is 50 cts,
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oats 40,
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buckwheat flour is 2½cts per lb,
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