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W'y Sue you surely dont think we are about to forget the only ones who are near and dear to us. If I had time and material I would like to write to and hear from you two or three times a week. Well dinner is over, and what do you suppose we had'n some biskets as yellow as gold mi'ty good though. Fresh beef and sugar. I just drew my ration of sugar for eight days. got pretty near 2 lbs. Well I must close as my paper is nearly full. I'm soon going to run out of paper and stamps, and Im strapped I dont see why they dond pay us again, I expect they are wating till we get to St Louis, it is too provoking to write here I get interupted every five minutes with some thing. H.E. sends his best respects. my love to you all and prayers for your well being Your Bro and son Jas. Patterson [marginal writing starts] Excuse my bad writing and composition as I've been interupted with the boy's singing and hollowing all this time keep writing once a week and I will Direct to Springfield, Mo. [marginal writing ends]