Letter: 12 April 1913

To Lora Arnold from Amanda Johnson
Plattsburgh N. Y. Apr 12th --13

My dear Sister & all.

I have thought & dreamed of you so much of late, and feel so sorry for you all in your deep trouble. I had lived in hopes that you and Amos would be able to visit us this summer, and that we might have another nice visit together, but after I received your letter and Seba your card, I fully realized it could never be. I have just read Elma's card. she was good to write and we were all so glad to hear. I know only too well that as yet the Physicians have found no cure for that trouble. Mr Charles Baker of Morrisonville is now suffering with the same complaint and no hopes of his ever being any better. Prudie Beadleston was here last week. She said Samantha was as well as usual but like myself had given up all hopes of seeing Amos out here again. I am glad to hear that he sleeps a good deal, but perhaps it is the medicine, but if he can only get rest from suffering even for a part of the time it is a relief. I am so sorry to hear how much pain he is enduring. I wish I might be there for a few days and see if I might assist you some way and see Amos once more. I hope we may hear very often. There are so many children & grandchildren it seems as though we might get just a card about every day. Don't wait for us to answer, it is us that are the anxious ones. We are all as well as usual, Corral had a badspell, Tuesday in the night about 2-o-clock, he woke me up saying I cannot hardly breathe. I got right up and gave him spirits of amonia but he did not get over it until about noon. We thought afterwards that it might have been that it was gas as the stove door was found open. He is all right now. I went over to see Aunt Esther Dunning last Wednesday found her very well excepting her feet are troubling her. I had not been there since I was there with you. She said it would be four years this summer. I ought to be ashamed of myself, but I go out a very little not even down to Seba's very often. I get all out of breath when I walk very far. I told Esther I often thought of her and loved her just as well if I did not get to see her very often. Mabel has three little ones and expecting another in the future. Mrs Dr Buck our neighbor on the east gave birth to a nine pound boy last Tuesday but it was what they call a blue baby and it only lived one hour. They could get up no circulation. We were all so sorry for we needed some children on this street, and they were so dissapointed. They had been so happy and delighted over the prospect of the coming of the little one. The Dr is almost heart broken over it. He & his sister took the little body to Crown Point for burial yesterday. Mrs. Buck went to the C. V. Hospital was doing well the last I heard. I never saw a little baby with so fat a face. It was lain in a little white casket with the (baby?) clothes she spent so much time in making had on a little crocheted ________ and cap, and looked so sweet. It would have been so welcome and there are so many that are not that it was too bad that it could not have been spared to them. A card from Huldah saying she is fairly well. I also read a letter from cousin Helen (Harris) Henrickle she is now in Cleveland, says Joan is very well. Mattie's two girls are both married. Mattie is a widow and lives with one of them. Fayette (?) Turner died about three weeks ago with throat trouble, no one really knew what it was, some thought it was cancer. His wife is very bad. Her mind almost gone. Sophia Morrison comes over here occasionally but it is very hard for her to walk. She drags one foot. Has had 2 or 3 strokes. I always go home with her. (Do not ?) think we will have her with (us very ?) long. Lora wrote me that ( ___arl ?) had gone to Cal. but gave no further information, We would like to know if she is married or what sent her there. Seba & family are well she is trying to clean house had rather do it herself finds it much more satisfactory. Rob has not been down for sometime but a letter says they are all well. What terrible times with the floods a letter from Uriah saying they escaped both floods and tornadows. Tell Elma I thank her very much for her kindness in writing and hope she will continue the good work & let us hear often, and I will write her later. Tell Amos I am thinking of him many time during (the day) and also I am lying (awake?) so much in the night and wishing that something might be done to relieve him, and that he might be spared to us awhile longer. With love to all.