Salem, N. Y. 

 J an, 25th ^928 



De ^r Mr Deane. 



This has been a season of so much sickness owing to the 

 floods we had and the dampness since, that I have been laid up 



with a severe cold , cough etc .and neuritis in my feet and ankle 



been . '-" / r*l-. ' 

 so that I have a prisoner and obliged to stay indoors for over 



two months .It has been very tryfcng and Salem has been unusually 

 dull as seventeen families have <?oen away for the winter months 

 leaving with me few of my contemporaries in town. The weather 

 has been rainy ,damp, and d isa^reeable most of the time and I have 

 never known such a 'unless year. We have not had much really cold 

 weather and very little snow, Yesterday was a fearsome day as it 

 blew a hurricane and there were flurries of snow, at Saratoga it 

 snowed and hailed and evrything was covered with ice. Today is 

 bright and lovely with no snow to be seen .1 have had a quiet 

 time of late and hasre hed to occupy myself with books, and my 

 correspondence . I have just finished " Father Mlsssissippi" by 

 L.Saxon who was a resident along its banks and gives an account of 

 the river from its earliest days up to the floods and through 

 that time of distress and horror.it was most interesting and in- 

 structive. I am now reading one of Carpenteros, "The Land of^Irribe 

 be an" I always enjoy his books he writes so smoothly and well. 

 I have also gotten through with pleasure several of the novels 

 sent me at Christmas all good , and still have some otherr on hand 

 It is two years since my sister left me and I miss her daily, I 

 do not think I can go through such another winter as this has 

 been and shall close my house next Fall and go to a warmer cli- 

 mate, the Doctor advises my doing soand I am so much alone here. 

 This season I have my old friend Hies Young with me for a few mon 

 months, she had no abiding- place so 1 invited her to stay with me 

 until the Spring. and as I have been so ill it has been a comfort 



