Pierpont May 9th [1859]Dear Aunt Ruth

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I received your letter a short time ago and was glad to hear from you although I had made up my mind that you had forgotten this unhappy child but be assured it was a message in time of need for trouble is hard to bear, The mournful task falls upon me this time instead of the one that sent the message before for he too sleeps with his Father Curtis is dead he died the 25th of April he had been failing about 3 weeks the morning before he died he walked from his bed out into the kitchen and set down but never went back he had his head resting

on the table because he could not hold it up on account of breathing he said O how my back aches and Mother I want to go back to bed she was coughing so that she could not help him I told him I would he said in a moment sister these were his last words on earth I turned to him in a minute and saw that spirit was taken its departure I him back against the chair he opened his eyes once and looked on me but there was no expression there and the tongue was dum he could not tell his sister whether he was happy or not but the smiling countenance told that angels attended the spirits flight he said he was willing to go the day before and thought it was well with him Mother is no better she is failing fast and I fear that she will them soon

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she coughs a great deal this is a lonely home, C sleeps in death whilst mortals mourn from lifes gay scenes in youth he,s torn and on the wings of angels borne to his eternal home Carlos is at home with us now he is going to carry on the farm year my health is better than it was i have not had but one [     ] of raising blood this spring during the winter I raised nearly 4 quarts which reduced me a little I am going to teach this summer in the village of Colton I have 175 per week a term of 18 weeks we have not much work to do and Carlos thought it best on account of my health for it will [     ] trouble away some he will help Mother I should been there before this if it had not been for Curtis I promised him I would as long as he lived It was a sudden blow to hear of [     ] death I had expected it but had hoped to see him once but I [think]

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he has gone to better world than this and I am resolved to live in such a manner that I can loved and lost in that upper and better my deeds are not my not prayers alone for public prayers in my mind are of little effect, Tell the children that I should like to see them and that they must love each other and try to please each other, for they some day be called to part and then all unkind deeds will be aroused in the minds of the living, My affections had become so concentrated in my Brother Curtis on account of Carlos neglect that the cord was hard to sever I had been his only support since I came home and I had also clung to him in the hour of trouble but now I seem alone for Carlos loves another and Mother sickness and trouble has reduced her so that she is not what she once was tell Uncle A that Ellen wants to see him very much for he was always very kind to me tell [       ] that she must write give my love to all enquiring friends if I have any there I have not room for more so I must close write soon let Craig write excuse bad writing for my pen is poor

from your Affectionate Niece and CousinEllen Colton

I commence my school tomorrow I am all alone now