San JoseNov [27th 82]My dear Sister

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Marilla has been after me many times of late to get me to write you for she like most of mothers doing her own work has but little time to attend to corrispondents I came up from San Francisco last night and will leave again in the morning for Stockton and Sacramento to be gone a week or two and then I will return and take a short trip South Just long enough to use up the time between this and the holy days for I must be home then or the little ones wont Know

that there has been any christmas unless pa-pa is at home I forgot to mention the [states] of our health which I am pleased to relate is good now especially myself I am heavier than for years turning the scale at 185,#s which is good for me the children are growing finely and Mattie & Carl are doing finely at school and George thinks he is abused beause he cant go with them but children are not admited to our schools here until they are 7 years old I have made no arrangements to travel another year but the prospects are that I will for I Know of nothing that I can realize as much from and so easy for I have been over the [road] so many times that I have my trade well established I have cleared over

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200, Dolls pr month for the past six months which would seem to the average Vermonter to be quite a sum but I am in hopes to do better next year, If I travel I presume by this time you have had a foretaste of winter in the shape of frost and snow but here the grass is green the days balmy and warm and the farmers are busy plowing and puting in their 2nd On my last trip South I made quite an investment in Fresno City - I purchased 18 city lots on one of the best streets in town and as this is one of the most thriving towns in the state am in hopes to make a good thing on them in the near future I will doubtless put up a few houses on some of them this winter for rent and for sale

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The whole state is in a very prosperous condition and if our good season [continues] every thing will be flourishing next season I have not been able to learn any thing of your prosperity since I was there but take for granted that you are geting rich at least I hope so for any one working as hard as you and Craig are derserving of riches I think Bent must do well on his hops if he holds long enough I have not heard from them for a long time Sis I wish you would send us a good girl to do housework will give $3.50 per week for one year for a good one we can get plenty of china help but we prefer a girl and the girls here are worthless the last one we had married rich through my recomendation Another might do the same with we could eat thanksgiving turkey together Please write me a good long letter on receipt of this for I am allways glad to hear from my only sister Give my regards to all my old friends and tell those dear little girls not to forget old uncle Ed

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