Kentucky Washington Cty - August 7th 1828
Mr. John Close
Dear Brother
I have answered all of you letters that I have received
immediately upon receipt as soon as received and I have written five
that has not been answered, from which I think there must be great
miscarriages of letters from and to that country. My last
request you to send me a statement of the things that you sent me as
to the certain quantity [__].
Beloved Brother, I received from your good kindness #135 of sugar
(good) fifty pounds of coffee and nine pounds of tea, and something
more than a month after your kind letter stating that you had sent
me such articles but not naming the quantity but however it is a
little treasure for me.
Dear Brother last spring was a year I sent you Cobbets letters on
the reformation (much esteemed here. But unfortunately was retuned
on account of the persons not finding your agent at New Orleans.
Since that I have sent it with a large Bible with plates in it and
some pictures for your little children and a pair of beads for your
wife to say her prayers on by one Mr. Joseph Walker who was at
school here for some time and who started from this place with the
intention to go to his uncle in your Cuntry [sic] 18 miles from the
red church Mr. John Williams Dr. of medicine, but I have heard that
from some unforeseen cause and the want of money I fear that you
will not see him before Christmas next if then. he is a well
disposed fine young man and promissed [sic] me to deliver them to you
himself.
I understand from your last that you had no opportunity that was
safe or you would have sent me some money; I think the safest way
would be for you to make some arrangement with the united states
bank at Louisville, Kentucky as we have a safe conveyance from there
here almost every week in good weather but I could not expect
anything of consequence this year as your crops must fail on account
of the water.
Dear Brother you informed me of the decline of your health and
the severe affliction you have had from the hurting of your eye. I
am much grieved to hear of your sufferings but you must remember
that you have told me that you have received many blessing from
almity [sic] God that he has even give you wherewith to assist me
without the least injury to your family but you must remember also
that the way of affliction is the way of the cross of Christ and
that it is a most meritorious thing to be patient under the sort of
affliction of a beloved father wh'ose [sic] son suffered so much for
us even to the disgraceful death of the cross thereby showing and
declaring to us that the way of tribulation and humiliation is the
safe way to the Kingdom of heaven also remember the afflictions of
Job.
Dear Brother I must conclude by informing you that I have enjoyed
some better health this year than common but still seem somewhat
inclined to be too fleshy and think that I must one day or other die
with the dropsy.
Your affectionate sister
Mary Rose
Elizabeth Wells
PC I saw brother Williams daughter at the Monastery near
Bardstown who is going to school there. She informed me that her
mother is well and wished much to see me but I came there too late.
I have written her a letter but have not received an answer as
yet. she is Maryed [sic] to one Mr. Robert Turner near Louisville.
NB I have had the masses sung for your mother as requested. Pray
for your sister
M. R. E. Wells
NB Write to me as soon as Possible
But I forgot something. hang the geography of your cuntry [sic] if
I were there I could not understand it so you need not pester me
here with it unless you make it plainer (so over again) I have
patches enough to pester me here. Fare well Brother for this time.
M. R. E. Wells
Address:
Mr. John Close
Near the red Church
Opelousas
Louisiana
[Addendum] Taken out 12$ for August
