McFarland-Russell Letter, May 8, 1871

[POSTMARK Orange May 8 Tex]

Miss Kate McFarland Bleak. Wood Newton. County Texas

[Embossed "R" on back of envelope]

Orange. Orange. Co. Texas. May 8th. 1871

Miss Kate McFarland Esteemed Friend Your most kind and welcome letter of the twenty eighth of april came to hand yesterday. and I assure you that it is a great pleasure to me to read letters from you. as I had been some two or three weeks since I had written to you and was so long getting an answer I thought perhaps my letter had been misplaced by some means or other. but from what you say I guess it was secured in due time. So as they tease you I will make a fair bargain with you if you will grant me the privalege{sic] of receiving a letter from you every three weeks I will be satisfied dont you think that is fair enough. you ought to do and do not be teased by them you bet they dont make anything off of me. you can show them my letters if you choose and then let them see if they can find anything to tease you about of[sic] they can it is more than I can do. I am very glad indeed to hear that that medicine is doing your Mas[sic] cough so much good it is a good medicine there is no mistake about that . So the long looked for wedding has come off at last I did not think that Mrs. Ed. W. would marry so soon from what I heard when I was up there. I heard that the old Folks did not like the match very well. Though I guess they will have to make the

best of it now as they are married. I was at Miss Fannie [Conraids?] birthday party last wednesday night and you may believe I enjoyed my self hugely I think I would be telling the truth if I were to say that there was fifty Ladies there there was the largest turn out that I have seen in ten years we danced until two oclock. as the saying is we set to [them?] late . and last Friday we had a Picnic down on Conways Bayou about three miles below town. we had a jolly crowd along so we all had a fine time there, and yesterday I went Black Berry hunting so today I guess I will eat blackbery fruit for dinner and next week I will go to work and see if I cant [pass?] off the time that way. all hands have been idle for the last two weeks on account of the Mills having to stop running some of the Machinery needed reparing so Pa. carried it over to Galveston. we look for him home to day. and just as soon as he comes Henry & Sue are going to house keeping Henry has had a very nice house built and Sue is nearly crazy to get home I dont know how she will get along off to her self she has one of the worst spoilt Boys you have ever seen and he dont know what it is to [?] of any [?] there is so many of us in family so among hands we dont let [time?] sit on the floor a moment and I think on that account he will give her a great deal of trouble [for?] when she mooves[sic] home . Well Kate dont you think that I have written just enough of my nonsense. you had better send me that Picture if you know whats good for your self. I wont take that for an excuse I [several words illegible] me, and if you dont give it to me I will all ways think you ought to. well I will close my paper is about to run out write soon Good By[sic] I remain as ever you most Sincere Friend R.E. Russell