66-07-22 Corvallis  Benton County Oregon  July the 22 1866 to A & E Damrell 
from R. Canterbury

Dear Father and Mother
I once more seat my self to try and anser your vary kinde letter wich came to 
hand three weakes ago. it found me in bed with a cancer warte on my big toe.  
I cowde it with burnt alum and tobacco calimal rede posipty it a bote well I 
had a harde spell of my olde complaint to weakes ago wood like to tell you of 
my surfring my woorn have become harden.  I have my sickness evra three er 
fore weekes. I feal better now then I have this spring.  I dont know how long 
it will last.  some times I feal right mart for a weake and take a gradil 
worse an tell my sick spell is over and so on I dont never expect to be stout 
again  I feal it is a grate mercy to feal as well as I do.  mother it is a 
grat satisfaction to get a letter from home.  it is a hard taske for me to 
right. I think some times that I will quit trying to right. I donte know that 
theas lines can be rede or not. turn over.  tell all of the Brothers and 
sisters to right.  we are so glad to get a letter from home.  you will see a 
skrap from my hand to the girls   mother I feal sora that you have such a 
responsibility arresting on you.  do try and take care of yursel if ya can. 
tell Sara that I have forgoten her I will rite to her soon.  you said Martha 
had something like a cancer on her. yaw tell her to aply tobacco on the sore 
ain hold in her mouth. I had three cancer wartes soon after we coste the 
plaines on my hand.  I put burnt alum and tobacco red posipty the rots came 
out like sead it come in little red hard lumps and then got raw it wood bleed 
I washt in soap suds.  I must bring my leter to a close so I remain your 
affectionet child untell Deth and hope these lines may find you in good helth 
so I must close by saying goodby  Ruhamah Canterbury