West Family Tree

Oct. 22. 99
Mr Floyd Duncan,

My Dear Son
Seventeen years today a precious baby boy came to make our hearts glad and I am afraid he has been his mother's idol ever since. Our love out not to hurt you, but ought to make you all the better boy.

I wish we had some thing nice to send you for your birth-day. Revie and I had planned to send you a nice cake by Tyson but your Papa thought at that time he would have you come after him and be with you today and we would have a birth-day dinner.

Hope you will go down to see grandma and the children, how do you think baby gets along without Brother! I know he must want to see you almost as much, or quite as he does to see us.

Your father seems brighter these last few days, that is he takes more interest in every thing that is going on. We hope he is getting better but has not begun to gain in flesh or strength that we can realize as yet.

How are Rush & Will getting along? Are they doing any better about getting off to school on time?

Anderson stayed with us last night and went on in town this morning.

When he gets back to Potero your father wants you to help him get the horses up as he thinks of buying one or more. (Be careful you do not let Shorty fall down with you again.) I suppose your father will write you full particulars as to what he wants you to do, and send it by Anderson probably.

It is cloudy this after-noon and the wind is blowing, as it is raining up the east perhaps we will have some more rain, another rain now and the hills around here will soon be nice and green, it is getting green in some places now.

The orchardists are cultivating their trees all around here.

Wish we could send you a glass of our guava jelly Rena & Revie have made up about thirty-pound of guavas so as to have plenty of jelly for this. Papa, he likes it so much. Got the guavas for a cent per pound by picking them ourselves. We are trying our best to practice the closest-economy we sent you our last unbroken five ($5) that Revie gave me when she came out to have a visit with us.

Think we have over drawn our account at Hamilton Bros. Of course we can not refuse to get any thing that your father wants no matter what it costs so long as we can get the money to buy with. Do you think the turkeys will get fat enough by Thanksgiving to sell the largest if your father is willing.

You see we will have over $50.00 taxes to pay the last of Nov.

I think it will be easier to sell in two lots than to wait and try to sell them all Christmas---that is all the young gobblers.

Hoping to hear from you soon, am as ever your mother,

L.M. Duncan