Walnut Hills
Cincinnati
April 9th 1868

My dear Miss Parkinson

Your dear affectionate letter reached me day before yesterday. You cannot know how pleased I was to hear from you once more, and just at this time more particularly comforting as I every day miss our dear afflicted mother's presence. I should be very grateful that many of my dear old friends still remember me and mine. You ask did mother suffer much at last? For more than six years she had been a great sufferer mentally, and for the last two years she became quite childish and nursed a doll which I got her, to help to amuse and soothe her. She was constantly restless and walking about until about one week before her death. She got cold and that once settled on her lungs. I feel it is a blessed release to her to be free from pain and suffering such as hers and a relief to me and more particularly my husband. Still I miss her sadly. I am very thankful to hear such good accounts of all, your own family and that James has settled at last. If we could only see some years before us what a world of anxiety and sorrow it would save us. I hope to hear of Samuel's perfect recovery when dear Bessie writes me as I do hope she will. I did not expect to hear from any of your family again so you may imagine my surprise and pleasure when I opened your dear letter. I feel very much for Mrs Russell in her sad bereavement. What peculiar trials God has seen fit to send her at different times and this last the worst? of all. Dear brother Willie and sister Emilie lost their only child on Xmas day of scarlet fever. We mourned the dear little fellow as much as Willie and Emilie. He was just two years old. They have had three children but Paul was the only one spared to them for a short time. Sister Emily has been very ill since then and I have had her with me for the last three months. She will spend the summer with sister Kate and we hope by Autumn she will be sufficiently restored in health to return to Chicago where Willie and John do business. Please tell our dear friend Miss Lascelles that I will write her soon. I hope Mr Surch is well - I wish to be remembered affectionately to him. Is Mr Campbell of Ardglass still able to do duty? I often think of him. He seems to read and speak with great difficulty from years ago when I heard him last. I never hear from them but I suppose I am to blame as I do not write. I wrote Mrs Hughes after Mr Aicken's death. Perhaps my letter never reached her as I have not heard from her since. Many of my dear friends I would like to know that I do not forget them and would love to hear from dear Mrs Parkinson. Mr Cinnamon makes every enquiry possible

[Remainder of letter missing.]