Revision [28833]
This is an old revision of OllieToEllaLetter-1877-07-12 made by JonahPetri on 2014-08-17 19:59:14.
Postmarked 1877 07 12
Dear Ella,
Got your letter in the mail today. Looks like it's been through hell on the way here, all scuffed and with the ink bleeding something terrible. I can still read it, though. I make up stories in my head about how it mighta got that way, and all the amazing places it must have seen on its way to me. Maybe it fell off the train, and got picked up by them folks running slaves up to be free in the north, and they sent it down through their secret underground railroad tunnels. They have those, right? Or maybe the mail train derailed & caught fire, and the whole lot of letters & packages burned, save this one, which was swept into the air by a mystical breeze, and carried along to safety by the smoke itself. But that's crazy talk, ain't it?
The hunting trip with Abner was fun, but it felt sad not havin the usual folks around. Deco is gettin older now, and actually came along, though I have my suspicions that Abner forced him to do. He mostly spent the time with his easel and oil paints. Made some awfully pretty pictures, though. Jefferson and I had a some fun shooting targets, though he won out in the end with some fine shooting. He's really improved. Cal came along, again my suspicion is that he was coerced, but nonetheless made the best of his "internment" as he called it by drinking and laughing at us from his seat by the fire. We sang songs till late in the night. I dreamt that night that Erin was still alive, and you and everyone else were still here. Guess something in my mind just ain't able to let go.
Please do come visit us in the springtime. I would surely love to hear your voice again. It's loads more beautiful than Ol Abner's singing, to be sure.
Ollie
NeedsKate
