Letterhead: Written on very good parchment paper with a
3 color logo. Penmanship is beautiful script.
The Thistle Bicycle,
Excelsior supply Co. Geo T Robie, manager
276-278 Wabash Ave phone Main
express 48 Chicago
Sept 14th, 1896
After a considerable time I will write you a letter. The last
I wrote you was a short time before I went down to visit the folks and since I
returned from there until now I have scarcely had a breaking although I must
admit that I could have found the time to write you a letter but I am a little
careless you know and any rate you must know that I have been well. Well I had
a delightful time while away. The only drawback was the very limited time I had
at my disposal. I only had time to say hello. I was out to Uncle Steve’s, at Uncle
Riley’s, over to Franks and Wards, out to Jim
Bells, to Gilbeys and Eunices all in one week and talk about good things
to eat. I haven’t enjoyed anything in five years as those sumptuous meals. Well
I gained four pounds in one week and I think one more week of it would have
added six more. I just begin to feel the real benefit when I had to come back
to hard work for no one had done a tap for me. People generally say that I am
looking well and I am feeling first class. I have given up chewing tobacco
three weeks tomorrow hence. I have not tasted of it but that’s not saying I
don’t want to but it is bye to it forever. I found everybody quite well except
for Frank’s wife. After her children were born she got up and went to work too
soon. How different it is at Uncles since the Aunts have died. It doesn’t seem
one bit natural. Those crazy Indians around Villa
E??? are clean daffy about the free silver and maybe politics are not
warm around here. It was all free silver for a while but now the gold men are
taking a hand and holding their own. Bets are frequently made that Cook County will give McKinnley 4000 more than
O’Bryan. O’Bryan has been here twice since the convention. His campaigning put
me very much in mind of the workings of our ward healers. Verbally promise
anything to gain power. By November we will be wondering what became of the 16
to 1. People will pa (?pay) I will close very soon as it is nearly 6oclock. How
are Lula and Charles
getting along and you and Bro. I wish you
would send me a picture of Earl if only a
tintype. I want to see what kind of a looking kid he is. Let me hear from you
soon. Hoping that all is
well,
your
son.
Submitted by:
Debra Rickman @ [email protected]