Hobartown 
April 21, 1870
My dear Mother, 

Your letter, two packets of cabbage seed, box of pills and one newspaper came safe to hand. I am much obliged to Sam for the seed and you for the pills altho I do not require them as much now as I have been taking camomile and gentian. You need not have sent the pills as the prescription would have done as well as all those things can be purchased here. It is only when with that is so hard to get. I am glad to hear that Sam is better but I fear that the climate would have been too severe for him and I am afraid it would not. Chris and Annie after being accustomed to so mild a climate as this. Our winter is nearly as mild as your spring now after the heat of summer the vegetables are springing up and plants and flowers are coming up. Next month we set early potatoes so you may guess there is not much freezing here. I would like this place very well except that there is not constant employment all the year altho I have been very fortunate until last week and I am afraid I may have another interval which will put me back again but I must try and put in practice what I have been…. To cast all my care on him who cares for us sinful creatures. I hope Sam and all my Brothers and sisters will consult their common sense and seek for the peace and happiness which I have proved to my cost cannot be found in the so called pleasures of this world. It is a melancholy thing to look back on a misspent existence and may they find that "Godliness is profitable in all things, having the promise of the life that now is and that which is to come". It makes me feel rather down hearted when I cannot see prospect of immediate employment, but spiritual discernment can see that it is a means of showing us our dependence on our heavenly Father and an occasion for the exercise of faith. May God bless you and them all for Christ’s sake. Chris is pretty well and Annie is as fat as butter and if she continues as she grows older to show such aptness she will be a great comfort. She can name all her letters, and can repeat parts of hymns already and she is always swing something or frizzing pussy’s hair altho’ sometimes she shows a little stubborn temper which must be broken. Yet she is very affectionate. It is pleasant to have Chris’ friends to correspond with. Mrs Upton had letters from them and also from Luke. I hope yours cold is better. Give my love to sisters and brothers. Miss L, Joe and Sally and believe me your affect son,

James C. Parkinson