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Several areas of damage to the page. Mold? Oxidation?

Osawatomie March 13, 1856. Dear Father and Mother

I received yours of Feb. 23, with the unclear day before yesterday. I am happy to be able to write that Sarah's health is improving very rapidly. She did her own washing and ironing this week, which she had not done before unclear months. I weigh 167 pounds unclear by 4 lbs than I  have ever weighed before. I hope we may both get and keep our health now I have bought a mare since I wrote last She is about unclear or 11 yrs old, blind (her unclear fault) a unclear worker, never known to baulk. I am to pay 30 dollars for her. I have near $40 in those drafts not expended, but I have our unclear to fix, rent to pay, rails to split and things that it would not be best to promise to pay till a month or six weeks from now. I am very sorry to be so dependent and hope we will not be so long. I do not know what we should have done, but for the help we have received from home. I want to buy a wagon now and harness. I think a second hand one-horse wagon will cost about $40. If I met with a good chance, I think I shall buy. 

sideways in margin: I do not think that free State men should shrink from the contest here now that things look go menacing It would be cowardly to go back now from fear I think the persistent courage, the cautions that will not provoke an assault but keeps ready for the work will save us from being trodden down till succor comes from Congress or the free States. The free states may have been increasing in force ever since we have been here. For all the blustering and the aid societies of the South the northern and western