72-05-26 St Helena Napa Co Cal  May the 26 1872 to E & A Damrell from Ruhamah

Dear Mother and Father your long looke fore letter came safe a few days ago.  
it found us as well as common except bad cold I had.  I am sorry to where that 
you and Father is so porly.  I wosh I was nere you whare I could go to see you 
all and talk to elehelher once more fase to fase it seam hard to bee so fare a 
way frome you all. alase this is my lot o may wee have faith in god and take 
courag when the lord sesit is a nuf come up high in heven and sing and shout 
our sufring are a round the thrne one of god to meat at Jeses feet wit frends 
that past on before  wont that bee joyful to meet to no more part.
Father a Mother sisters a brother shall never part again  i must dop this 
subject for this time I wosh I cold wright a good letter like some this is 
morn and I am a lone.  Aly a Milty is at School.  Andrew a his pa in the corn 
at work.  the first corn crop tha have mad in this faie off land. I have to 
doctor all the time to keep up.  I have rhumats in my Jaw at times I cant eate 
tel I rub it with turpentine heat a cloth to lay it on take something warm in 
my mouth I am better now this Spring then I have for a long time.  I peact two 
Star quilts this winter like the star that yo gave mee I quilted one then sold 
it fore fifteen dollars.  I wold like to have som of my neises to live with me 
it is so fare off it seem a bit of the power gave my lov to all the frends and 
a large sheer for your selves  good by Ruhamah Canterbury to A Damrell  E 
Damrell excuse this porly riten letter wright soon tell sary a theny Ann to 
wright and Martha Casen  I hav not had a leter for a long time from eney of 
them.