December 13, 1864

December 13, 1864

Letter from Sarah E. Andrews to James A. Andrews, December 13, 1864
Hudson, Dec. 13th, 1864

28th Letter.

Dear Brother Jimmie,

We have just received three good, long letters from you, one
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for mother, one for Charlie and one, a scarlet one, for myself. We were so very, very glad to get them. Charlie's was not quite a week on the way. The shortest time yet of any of your letters. Mother's was the one you thought would be lost, but it came safe. You will have more time to write now as you are a professional man, won't you? If you do write all the letters (to us) you can the more the better, they will all be acceptable.

It has been snowing all the afternoon. There is a fine prospect of good sleighing. It has been very cold for the last week. The mercury has been down to zero and below most of the time. I shall have to hurry with this as school is out and I expect Miss Mann to go down town with me. But the thoughts don't come very fast, every thought has left me. I suppose you will excuse me if I do not write much of a letter for you know my ability for letter writing.

We are going down town to see about the frame to Mr. K[e]eley's picture. Mary Moffat has finished Mrs. K's Sontag. I haven't done anything yet for the tree, but hope I shall make a beginning before I write again. I would like to make all you Soldier boys a present and put it on the tree if I knew what would be acceptable. I don't know what it would be. I wish I had written to you before about it and you could have told me what to have made, it will be too late now.

You seem to think it very strange we should worry about you or feel anxious. I don't see how we could help it, still we do not feel as anxious as we would if you were obliged to do duty. I hope you won't volunteer to go as guard on any more expeditions or above all to go into battle.

Libbie was down here this morning. Who has written to you so much about her? and who to Ira? You must not get your expectations raised too high. She is mortal. She feels very bad about John's dissipation. I am glad you are going to write to him. It is too bad he did not heed the advice of his friends, he has a good heart and has ability, he might have made his mark in the world if he had only let the fatal glass alone. I hope you will use your influence when you see any of your number yielding to temptation. I feel sure you will by your example. Do so also by your advice. John wrote to Ada that you would make a good Soldier as you had such good principles.

Little Charlie has just learned to whistle, he enjoys it very much. He works and whistles like a man. Did you get the Heralds I sent? I will send you some more scrip twenty five cents. We have been hurrying to get your gloves done so as to send them by Thursday but as you say you are in no haste for them we will not send them until next week, as Mother is very busy making over shoes and other things for Ceal to make her comfortable. I was in hopes you would get them by Christmas so you could have a present. The stockings were sent last Thursday, let us know if you get them.

Do we send you money enough? We will send more if you need it.

All send love. This "dullness
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long drawn out" is from your much attached sister

Sarah E. Andrews