Truckee,  June 3rd  1869
J. E. Irvine, Esq.
			Dear Cousin,
			
			Your very kind
and I assure your welcome favor of the 9th
ult was received a few days since.
I had begun to think you were never go-
ing to write me again and was on the
eve of addressing you to find out the cause
of your silence.  No doubt it is becoming a
a very difficult task ro you ro write - for
as young as I am there are times when
I cannot myself.
	You see by the heading of
my letter that I have moved my quar-
ters and I am afraid not for the best.
The old saying "A rolling stone gathers no
moss" is very applicable to me for I have
not saved one cent out of my years
wages and to tell the truth am worse off
than nothing.  But if I do say it myself


I have not squandered my money foolishly
I joined the Masons last Fall and that
cost me sixty-five dollars and I spent
that amount on my father's grave besides
I have sent George fifty more.  I had a
fine base put around the grave and sent
to Sacramento for shrubbery so I think
the money was judiciously laid out.  What
think you?
	I left Mr. Willow because Theisen
offered me nearly the wages I was
getting but if I was back with him now I
sould not leave.  This thing of selling
whiskey to my fellow beings is not very
pleasant I assure you.  I wrote to Willow
and if he wants me to come back I am
going.  A little incident occurred the other day
that made me make up my mind to
quit.  A butcher next door to us came in
and asked for a drink.  I saw he was pretty
full but I could not refuse him so I
gave him a drink.  He started to go
to bed and I suppose his brain was so
muddled with whiskey that he fell
from the loft where his bed was
down to the first floor a distance of ten
feet breaking his leg and dislocating
his thigh laying him up for at
least six months.
		Mother's health has
been very poor for the past six weeks
I am afraid she is not for this world
long.  Sister Leona is in San Francisco
Sister Bessie is in Vallejo.  I called to see
her and the babies on the way up
here.  Jackson has a very good place
there and keeps himself very straight
george is with mother and is sick the
most of the time.  There is very little
pleasure that I see and I guess all of us
are about equal.  No two but George & Mother
are together.
		This place is on the line of
the Great Pacific R.R. in Nevada Co.  It is
it is a place of some importance, being the
largest lumber depot in the state.
Here all the ties were sawed to lay the
road eastward.  Its inhabitants are
employees of the Co. and roughs & gam-
blers.  At one time there was considerable
talk of Judge Lynch taing the law 
in his hands .  But talk in this ins-
tance did as well as action for all
the petty thieves made themselves very
scarce.  I am glad to hear everything is
on the increase in Callaway and wish
it was so in El Dorado.  I received the
money all right and thought I had
informed you.  I did intend writing
more but I must quit for want of
time as the train will soon be long.
My best love to all the relatives as they
are too numerous.  Regards to friends
and acquaintences.  Don't fail to
write me a little.  Reciprocating
your many kind wishes I remain 
with much love.  Yours Respectfully,
		R. C. Irvine
P.S. - Remember me to all the blacks.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Wayne E. Johnson <johnsonwe@earthlink.net>
(© 2003 Wayne E. Johnson)  http://www.rootsweb.com/~mocallaw/

USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free genealogical
information on the Internet, data may be freely used for personal research
and by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all
copied material.

These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or
presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations
desiring to use this material for profit or any form of presentation, must
obtain the written consent of the file submitter, or their legal
representative, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of
this consent.
------------------------------------------------------------------------