[Thomas Waters to his brother Benjamin]
[from a transcript]
Digby. December 7th 1868
Dear Brother Ben
I hope this will reach you before Xmas and that it will find you and Barbara and the dear children in first rate health, and that you may live many years to repeat with me good brother John’s whimsical rhyme which somehow brings back to me more than any other circumstance the perfect unalloyed happiness of childhood or rather boyhood – it seems to me now that we could not run enough, jump enough, laugh enough, eat enough and probably have bellyache enough in those good old ever to be remembered days. Papa and Mamma knew how to handle children well. I hope my children may have as grateful a feeling and as pleasant remembrance of their childhood. Dear gruff do-your-duty and thoroughly kind hearted Father. Toe-the-mark – a good Father. Dear little sweet worried-to death Mother made home a Home never to be forgotten. We have been extra fortunate in Parents, and dear Ben I think your children are fortunate in their parents. Living here in this out-of-the-way place is very much like living at sea (barring a good deal), we have to lay in a supply of beef, pork, butter, potatoes, cabbages, onions, and everything else for we have no market, the farmers (very small farmers) bring in now and then turkeys, geese, fowls etc if you miss their carts you have to go without for some time. Your good beef, cocoa, tea, and other things, my perfect little cabin, my comfortable bed, my kind brother and my thoroughly kind sister I cannot thank you. You have used me so kindly that you are beyond thanks.
Dear Ben remember me to Mr & Mrs Bake. I do not wonder that dear brother John liked so well the Friends, they have been and are Friends to me and Friends to all. Persuade Sarah and Nancy to write to me. Your kind letter October 28th and papers very thankfully received.
Thank you for placing the money.
Your ever affectionate Brother
Thomas Waters.