Sunday aft.

Gadsden, Ala. Sept 3rd, 18--

My dear son,

I would be so glad to receive a letter this afternoon from you. I believe I wrote you of having a Honolulu paper sent us, and of seeing the telegram of the arrival of the Para at Manila. Pa came home last Tuesday. Said he saw two fine looking soldiers for Manila. They said they met the Para ... Wheel and Ship and said the Captain that commanded your battalion was ambushed, much mutilated and thrown in the river. He had gone fishing and wandered out from camp some distance alone. I hope you will take warning and understand you are in enemy country ... know who are friends.

It made a lasting impression on me when I read of the arrival of our troops in Cuba and some officer or distinguished man was the first to step off the ship and Spaniards hid behind the RR ties, shot him before but one other got out of the train or ship. Of course I would not ask a son of mine to shirk his duty. I only hope you will always be on guard in an enemy country. If you are wounded insist on the surgeons instruments being clean and the work being done well. And be determined to let nothing worry you, prepare for a perfect rest relieved of all cares as you did when you had typhoid in Bowling Green. If possible be removed from the sick and dying as one your sympathetic and energetic nature would be greatly damaged to be a witness to suffering and not be able to help. It would raise your fever and retard your recovery much. Let your family appear to you well cared for and that in this big house they will have a welcome till more satisfactory arrangements to them are made ... they want to change. Take advantage of everything that will aid you in your recovery if sick or wounded.

Such good comfort to find that one has protection on so long a trip. I am trying to have some suitable and rather handsome clothes made for Frances. I don't want Mamie to feel ashamed of her appearance among her friends at the post. We are all well. Pa came home feeling badly. A pain in his side and coughing worse than when he left and had to wear his overcoat, when with an excursion of six hundred from the spring to Cripple creek Mines. Scenery grand in the country and great engineering skill to build the railroads but coining money ... we know but little about money here.

We have not heard from Mamie in some [time?]. Frannie is preparing to go and stay until Christmas with her. Capt. Eliot is going to take his eldest son to see Dewey arrive the 30th of this month and ... Kyle is going to visit ... It is nice to have ...rented her house to the superintendent of the carworks for fifteen dollars a month. Mrs. Wiley Ross has rented Walter Stan...'s at thirty dollars a month and is going to keep a fashionable boarding house. But the house is not fashionable or finished, not even a fire board or mantle. The Roses [?]have parted or she and her daugher left home. He drank so. He has refused to give anything so far. The Bovens and Miss Maggie Eliot and her mother and two other daughters are boarding with her. Stan... is moving his family over near the works where he can be with them. I'm going to get Pa to write as soon as we hear from you. With greatest love and anxiety about your health and welfare I remain your loving Mother.