San JoseMay 17th 1874Bro & Sis

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Your note with "return to be signed was duly received and signed and returned to Powers. I followed the directions contained in his letter to you which were to sign the one he had writen & did not copy for I did not think it necessary As to sugar you may send all the cakes you have a mind to and I will divide the profit the price here will depend on the sooner you send the better and during the summer get all first class sugar you can and hold until fall both tub & cake and then I can sell all you can send for it sells better in the fall than any other time send cake nowbut if

for it is so hot crossing the plains that tubs will melt and run out unless it is very very hard. In packing the cakes it will be well to put between each tier some paper and see that the boxes are packed full and after nailing up be sure and bind with hoop iron or something else so as to make very strong We are having some hot weather haying is fairly under way and such a crop you never saw nor never can see unless you come to Cal We are living in Alex Delongs house and it is a fine place and we have great quantities of fruit nine different varieties together with an abundance of vegetables & flowers we can sell from 50 to 100 Dolls worth this year wish you were where you could

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have some of our cherries and Peaches also apricots and Pears This is the great strawberry bed of the world there are on an average shiped from this town each day over sixty tons of course you cant beleive this but yet it is true My hand is better still I can not use it at all it will allways be deformed I am affraid and will be a long time before it gets strong cant even work in a barber shop have been offered 90 dolls per month to go to work here in the city. am in the [Pat. right] business am selling with the Pans a Pat. Fence have half we take in four days we.-that is my partner and I- sold 75 dolls. worth of farm rights.-Sis be shure and write on receipt of this and tell me all the news also send me some one

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of your Co. papers each week We are all well and hope you are the same The baby grows very fast and is fat and good how I wish you could see her Craig when you ship the sugar let me know so I can be on the lookout for it the box you put the Boots &.c. in mark Sund. on the bottom. We all join in sending love to you all and all who take an interest in our well fare

Your BroE.C. Smith

When your wreath of friendship fassen in on one one one bud for me yours with love Katy

When you wind your wreath W of friendship fasten in one bud for me W When you wind you wreath W W When you wind your wreath Of friendship fasten in One bud for me