Freeport March 17, 1961

Respected Uncle

As grandmother was writing I thought
I would answer your kind letter and let you know
that I had entirely given up the idea of going
with the circus this spring. I am going to try
To find some work as soon as my month of school is
out. I do not go to the union school any more
I go to the german school and pay 50 cts a month.
I am a great deal farther advanced than I ever was
before in arithmetic It seems impossible for me
to learn to write good I mean to try though. have
you written to Uncle John Welch yet. I think I
should like to live with him. I am going to try to
get down to grandfather Welchs if I can this spring
I believe there is nothing more at present from
your affectionate nephew

Nathan Salsbury

Lena Jan 12 /66

Dear Brother Nathan

I was very much surprised and much more pleased a few days since, by receiving a letter from my absent, but never forgotten brother. I should have written you long before this but never knew where to direct, and it seems more like a dream than a reality now. You have always seemed to me like something that existed in the past but not the present untill within a year or two, and since I have begun to realize that I had a brother I have thought about you by day, and dreamed of you by night, and now (oh hasten the time) I am going to see you soon.

We heard that you was very badly wounded, but found out to the contrary. By the way you say that you suppose the account of your army campaign is uninteresting to me, not so, brother mine I have long to hear it "for ever so long" and I only wish that I could sit down by you and have you tell it to me. I do not know whether I am what you would call a "young lady" or not, I am 15 years old Pa calls me a little girl. I am attending school in Lena this winter. I have been at Mt. Carroll nearly two years. I do not know where I shall go next time, perhaps I will stay at home next summer. I want you to come up here as soon as possible after receipt of this

If you will drop me a line a short time beforehand and tell me when you can come and Pa will be here to take us out home, if you could come some Friday it would be more convenient because Pa comes after me generally Friday night or Saturday morning. but drop me a line long enough before so I can send him word. I board with a spiritualist lady, (she is a widow) They have spirit rappings and such like. they tell me I am a spirit medium, what do you think of that, or are you not opposed to spiritualism?

There is a thousand things I want to say to you but I am not not a very good hand to write letters and the klock is striking ten so I must close my poorly written, uninteresting letter. This is Thursday, now Nathan please try and come a week from tomorrow, wont you? inquire of the Station Agent, Mr. Shannon, and he will tell you where I am.

I shall expect a line the first of next week telling me you are coming on that day.

Accept this from your ever loving
sister,

Hattie, C.

P.S. Pa says to tell Nate we should all be very glad to see him.

Ottowa L27 Ill June 4 /66

Dear Nathan

After a long, but unintentional silence, I will
reply to your last letters. The last time I wrote you
was a busy morning with me & I had just time to enclose
you the money called for by your telegram and to write
a brief note. Since that time I have been <u>drove</u> with
business, and there is no prospect of easier times until
after the tax Sales which will commence on the last
Monday of this month.

Your explanation of the message was Satisfactory as was also your monthly Report.

So far as I can judge Nathan you are doing
well & applying your money to a good purpose.

The *Turners* are celebrating the day here
today and of course *Lager Beer* is *King*.

I entirely forgot to send you the newspapers
heretofore, but will try to redeem my promise in this
particular hereafter. I cannot give you any town news
for the reason that my time is so much occupied I have
no opportunity to learn any; there is one item of
Special interest to myself, however, but I cannot say
that it will interest you, that is, we have a very nice
little daughter. Write me a receipt of this & let me
know if you are comfortable, & how you progress in your
various I enclose you a letter which came here for
you today --

(the following on the same sheet)

Dear Nathan

I wish to remind you that "I still live"
and have one of the darlingest little girl babies in
the world.

We have named her *Corrinne* --- Don't you
think it a very pretty name?

I am glad you are improving your time and
hope you will continue and make up for lost time.
Your friend Mollie Gibson has called upon me twice --
She is a little lady and I must say I was very much
prepossessed by her appearance. I know of nothing
of interest to write you -- wish I did. The weather
is very warm -- prospect of plenty of fruit is good
you must come down in time to enjoy some of it. Write
often and tell us how you prosper, be a good Boy and
believe me your loving
Auntie

Auntie

Excuse this scrawl -- it is written in bed and by a
miserable poor light -- Good Bye

E. B.

Athens, July 17, /66

Mr Nathan Salsbury
Aurora, Ill.

Dr. Sir:

I am utterly without the means to advance you any money.
I have so invested my means that I am much pressed, & I can
hardly raise money to pay my current debts.

I am glad to hear you are doing so well. I think your
strictures on the anti-theatric sermon were very well conceived
& happily expressed. I am much obliged for your enclosed like-
ness, & have put it in our album.

Very Aff'y,

(Original on page 115 of Nate Salsbury's personal scrap-book)

R.S.J.