August 2nd (Probably 1866)
160 Liverpool St
Hobartown
My dear Mother,

I now take up my pen to answer your kind letter to me and was very sorry to hear Sam was so ill. But hope by the time you receive this he will be quite well again. Dear James was quite cut up to hear that his brother was so ill and now I must thank you very mutch for thinking of me. I shall be looking forward for the arrival of the ……. with pleasure. I have made … frocks but not anything else as yet. I wish it was over for I begin to get rather tired on it for there are so many of my young friends called … at that trying our and others have lost their dear babys. May the Lord grant that it will not be my case for dear James sake for he is quite proud to think that he is going to be a papa. I thank God that my health has been so well for I have not had mutch trouble as yet. I hope you have got our cartes by this time and that you will like them. I suppose James has told you what we are doing at present. I think that we should do better when the summer comes in. It is better then him going to sea for I am sure that I do not know what I should do if he went to sea. Now you say that you have sent one of James long frocks. I can assure you that they well be thought a deal of but hope will not wear out hear and they do not keep their babys in long close longe. About to months is the longest. Do not expect until the first week in December it is a long time to look for … please to your?. My love to all and except the same from your loving daughter in law

Christina Parkinson.

Mother, Sisters and Brother desire to be remembered to all. I shall write to Maria next time.