McFarland-Russell Letter, April 9, 1871

Miss Kate McFarland

Beakwood

Newton, County

Texas

[postmark] ORANGE APR 10 TEX

Orange. Orange County, Texas, April 9th 1871

Miss Kate Mc,Farland

Esteemed Friend

yours of the 6th came to hand yesterday, and I assure you it was quite a treat. I had been looking for a letter from you for some time when I received that one yesterday it had been some three or four week time I wrote to you, and as you now answered it as soon as I expected. I was just about to arrive at the the Conclusion that my letter had never reached you. So you must be more punctual in future and you will all ways find me ready to reply So I will make a bargain with you if you will not let any one see my letters I will not let any one see yours. you said you disobliged by showing my letter to your Ma. So you have not got any the advantage of me I showed yours to Ma and as for that matter I dont care if she sees them all I would rather you would show them to her than not. I tell you Mrs H C does not tell me any thing and I want you to tell me all about Miss F... and the young man on had occurence to. I dont have any Idea who he is. I think I will have to except your invitation so you may look for me when Peaches yet ripe. you said if I past time close by you could send me a boquet once in a while I assure you it would be thankfully received. I am improving my place in town this year so when I get my Flower Garden ready if I cannot send you a boquet I can have the pleasure of thinking if you were near enough you should have them. I received a letter from my old and true Friend Hester Wingate a few days ago he is at Salem Va & he is very well pleased with his nice home he told me to keep him Posted so I will have to look to you for the news from that Part of the County as you are all

the correspondent that I have up in that Section so you must help me out all you can he told me not to let his girl get married while he was gone but the mischief of it is he never told me her name. Maybe you can tell me who She is. you said that your Mother was troubled with a cough. I will send her some cough Syrup and also the Receipt for making it and I think if she will take it it will do her more good than any other cough medicine she can get. The directions for making it is one quart of Molasses and one of Vinegar wine about one tea cup of Tar. mix it all to gether and boil it well let it get cold and then you can break the tar on top and pour off the Syrup with getting it mixed with the tar, there is no particular directions with regard to its use. She can take a sip of it When ever she gets to coughing we have recommended for a great many and it seems to have done them a great deal good. I will send some this time by William to do until she can have some made. Oh, by the way I like to have forgotten to tell you about the Serenade we had last night some of the Girls would not come out and treat us the houses would be all dark while we were playing and as soon as we would leave we would be begin to see the houses light up I don't think we will go again soon. I want to know if you have not found it out I will tell you what it is Bob I am not known as Mr Russell at all in this part of the county and if you don't quit it I will most assuredly call you Miss McFarland. Tell Miss Maggie she must be a good Girl and not dance to much well as my paper is about goun out I will have to close and kind regards to all the family and a hearty good by from your Sure Friend

R E Russell