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Anne Brownville June 30/53 Du Quoin July 19 1853

                                                                                                                     Brownville June 30th/53.

Dear brother & sister

                       I find I shall have time only to scribble a little & that rather hastily this morning instead of the long & leisurely epistle I intended, otherwise shall fail in sending, till another week, for here at this 'Mountain home' such is our elevation (not to say isolation) from the common walks of life, that it is only once or twice a week that we descend to the valley & hold intercourse with our fellow mortals. consequently letter can neither be sent or obtained oftener than that. We were much pleased & some surprised at the great news contained in your last. May you both have much joy & comfort in the little stranger but do not set your hearts on him too much lest he be taken from you. the same day that Mother's new & latest grandchild was given, her oldest beloved one was laid in the tomb, - no, not so - she was called home, to a higher purer happier life at which we ought surely to rejoice and there is peace and joy and thankfulness mingled with the grief. You will have heard doubtless in this reaches you of Almeda's great affliction, - her loss is indeed irreparable, from two circumstances in times past, she had made a companion of her from a child & there was a oneness & confidence between them and specially an entire sympathy of feeling more than with most mothers & daughters; though our little Lucy was so simple childlike & sincere she was yet, more mature than most

[left-hand side] Almeda is without help & her work consequently takes all her time I thought perhaps she may find time to add a word.