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  Dear friend

your ever welcom​ welcome​ letter has reached me all right and the bundle of paper you sent me ihave​ I have​ sent Bethuels papers to him today there was three bundles to him Bethuel Smith lives afew​ a few​ miles South West of us ihear​ I hear​ from him often he and his Wife and youngest little boy was at our hous​ house​ the last of november ihave​ I have​ not seen him since but expect him soon he was maried​ married​ awhile after he came home and got well he has three little boys and one girl the first boy is slender and sickly the rest are healthy two of his boys looks very much like him they are good children and smart Bethuel is well and healthy he has bought some land and is trying to pay for it he is drawing pople​ poplar​ wood to the papermill to make paper with and someimes​ sometimes​ works at other work it is rather hard times this winter money is scarse and wages down not much going on around here   idid​ I did​ not rite​ write​ much in that letter isent​ I sent​ you ifeared​ I feared​ it never would reach you but thank god it has reached you all right it has allways​ always​ seemed to me since our Son came home that some of us should rite​ write​ to you my husband Could not rite​ write​ therefore it left me to do the riting​ writing​ mostly Bethuel was sick when he came home he mearly​ merely​ got home alive had ben​ been​ wounded and had the Chronic diare​ diarrhea​ the war is ahard​ a hard​ place indeed you have seen some of the hardship of it perhaps all you wish to see or even hear of my husband was afflicte​ afflicted​ with acanser​ a cancer​ it Comenced​ Commenced​ on his lip it eat his jawboan​ jawbone​ into and then along the side of his neck untill it Came to the arter​ artery​ ioften​ I often​ thought he would bleed to death he told me not to try to stop the blood for he would asoon​ as soon​ bleed to death as not or die another way it was the worst soar​ sore​ iever​ I ever​ seen he sufered​ suffered​ about 6 months very much indeed the pain were mostly in his head he was very patient allthrough​ all through​ his sickness he was ready to go when the lord should see fit to Call after him about three years from the time it Comenced​ Commenced​ it wore him out   Mrs. Smith Bethuel's mother Feb. 1. '75 sent postal card, April 21, '75 he died the 4 of april in the year 1871 iwill​ I will​ rite​ write​ the names of our Children Comencing​ Commencing​ at the first ira​ Ira​ Smith Halsa/ William J/ Calvin/ Bethuel Joseph D/ Slly​ Sally​ M/ Mary

Mary was Maried​ married​ to David H Deen they are at our house now and will stay untill​ until​ the first of next month then they will return to new york to their boat he left it on the jersey shore near the Centeral​ Central​ pennsylvania railrode​ railroad​ Depo​ Depot​ Sally M maryed​ married​ Harvy Allen he is aboatman​ a boatman​ to​ too​ She goes with him is ent​ I sent​ for them to Come here and stay with me this winter they are with me this winter to​ too​ Joseph is in the lumberwoods this winter my health is very good iwas​ I was​ not well for about one year after my husbands​ husband's​ death iwas​ I was​ almost tierd​ tired​ and wornout​ worn out​ ishould​ I should​ like to see you very much Bethuel will rite​ write​ soon he has often told us of your kindness to him it awlways​ always​ seemed to me that god sent you to save the life of our son that he might Come home and see his parents once more even sick and wounded Bethuel has your picture

 

we always thout​ thought​ agreatdeal​ a great deal​ of that picture how iwould​ I would​ like to see you if your health should be good enoug​ enough​ to come here Come out and see us weall​ we all​ would be somuch​ so much​ pleased to see you wemay​ we may​ see eachother​ each other​ yet sometime if you Canot​ Cannot​ read this iwill​ I will​ send you my love Dear friend

from Maria Smith to Walt Witman​ Whitman​

they are wating​ waiting​ forthe​ for the​ letter to cary​ carry​ to the village