This letter as it is written on transparent paper and extremely difficult to understand.

221 Vine Street July 25th 1860
Cincinnati

My dear Miss Lascelles,

We were all delighted to receive your welcome and interesting letter to Nanny. Never wait for enough news to send me a few lines as I shall be fully satisfied if it contains an account of all that pertains to yourself. I am glad to hear dear Bessie has been on a visit with you as it will give you …. Pappa and Mamma continue well and look unmistakably so for their time of life though our dear Mother now subject to repeated attacks of inflammation of the bowels and a bout the first of this month very seriously ill.. Papa …. How many persons have died in Killough of late. Poor Catherine Crawford and her poor little girls left motherless. So far we have had a very unseasonably cool summer and but one night that sleep forsook us from the heat. We have had heavy falls of rain and thunder and lightening such as you can form no idea of at home and to so much I look forward to with a longing pleasure as the only relief from the heat when intense. I am sorry to hear that the Campbells are not growing in the love and esteem of their people as they grow old. We have in Cincinnati very profitable businessmen's prayer meetings. I think it is a privilege to attend. Mr Guinness came them twice. I hop you may hear him preach. I gave up all my time during his season here to take advantage of his preaching. I living in Cincinnati and not having and duty for family tie and within reach of all the instruction I can desire. I am still residing Dr Newtons and find it a pleasant home. Mrs Neff with who I resided as resident governess when I first came here is very kind to me and I am much with her. She is a deeply pious and well informed lady with respectful regard for me. She is a Methodist. I accompany her in her visits to the sick, she sorrowful and wearied frequently. How much I long to be with you now since I could (I think) appreciate your better than when I was younger. I see a great many old country persons. Every year I meet Mr Charles Moore. He comes to visit us every time he is in town. The Price of Wales is coming to Cincinnati for a short visit. Last night I learnt from Mr Edgar, Bessie Parkinson's young friend who made me his first visit that she since has reached Canada. I suppose he will stay at Burnet's house an hotel, the best here and a few blocks below my present home but on Vine St. We don't worship royalty here. Is shall try to see him. The Great Eastern is attracting immense crowds in New York. I thought Charles Edward Campbell would not hold the situation of a teacher in a school being too low not that I have not the greatest respect for the office and did and ever shall hold it as a sacred one of much trust. Dora will marry again. I am sure there are none of us likely to marry. Willies proclivities are not that way. I can get no one to have the good taste to ask me!! I know it is wisely ordered for me and it requires more heroism to live an old maid than to marry. Nannie is not strong. Notwithstanding she endures a great deal of fatigue nursing her husband. He is often sick and had a severe nervous attack of some sort. … I am not as busy teaching as usual now in the … I cannot expose myself to the sun therefore I gave up nearly outdoor pursuits until September. We have not yet heard from Johnnie. It is so strange and my fathers and mothers hearts grow old after him so much. We still keep writing home at intervals but anything of his locality we have had from other sources. You will give my best and kindest remembrances to poor Joe Surch. Tell him we have got a son of Mr Heathers residing in Cincinnati. He is pastor of St John's Episcopal church. I heard him preach last Sunday though I belong to Christ Church still. I have some serious ideas of pleasing myself under his ministry. I naturally prefer my own countrymen and they are more spiritually minded then the Americans. He is deservedly much liked and he is very nice and handsome I think. I hope my dear Miss Lascelles that you will not be so long without writing to me again. I have a letter partially finished to Bessie but the news in it is so stale that I shall not send it. The markets are quite full of all sorts of things, peaches, pears, apples, plums, blackberries, currents etc. and vegetables in the greatest abundance. Melons are just in. They now sell at 6c each but in a fortnight or so they shall be much cheaper. All the fruit her is put up in tin or earthen ware or glass cans and not boiled up in sugar as we do at home 'canning it' preserves the flavour much better. Write me everything about yourself. Nothing so interesting. Joe Surch should married. You will think I have become very American as her men and women both marry three and four times and even if divorced which is quite common marry during the life of either party which is contrary to scripture. Willy is in the city now and tolerably well. Pappa I saw yesterday. How has Jeenie Birkins' son grown up. I trust he will now settle down with his dear mother and sister's. I think persons, if they do so, can live better together and these long separations are such a wrenching of the separation that life at best is too short for such agony. I shall delight myself looking forward to the pleasure of a long letter. Send me a sprig of some wee tiny flower in your next. Do you bathe yet. I take a bath all summer every afternoon but in muddy water from the Ohio is not the clear buoyant waters of the salt sea. With much love I remain my dear Miss Lascelles your attached

Kate Rogan