St. John Putnam Cty. Mo. July 15, 1859

Dear Brother John,

I hasten to write you a few lines when I last wrote to you I was verry
sick but I worried along took lots of frosts pills bathed verry frequently
in cold water until I got the fever broken. I think it was the tiphoid fever
I got so that I could walk a little again. Victoria got to be able to sit up
about one fourth of her time and Viola able to walk a few steps alone so
yesterday morning we started again after paying out about thirty five
dollars in cash to the doctor and landlord it seems that we have had hard
luck so far but I am not disposed to murmur it makes me think of a song
I used to sing in my youthful days it runs thus Afflictions though they seem
severe are often mercy sent and so I look at it and try to feel content with
my lot

This morning one of my wagon tines roled off so I am now having the tines
all set on my wagon and bugy both

my stock all stand it verry well so for except the bull calf he gave out and
I traded him and his mother for a verry likely fiveyear old cow She is
giving milk but has no calf I have not been able to get a grain of corn for
my horses since I fed out what I started with but we turn them out every
night on the grafs they nor the cattle have ever made any attempt yet to
leave us I have never heard anything yet of Joseph I expect he is in
Kansas before this

I shall have to stop writing for I am weak yet and am becoming quite
nervous I am on the mend considerable. Victoria and Viola are stil
mending slowly the weather is verry warm and dry we can not make it
far in a day but if we keep able to do so we will try to go a little every
day which will take us there after while.

Yours with great respect

Wm C. Butler