Decatur Macon County Ill. April 16th 1857
Dear Sarah (3705)
I embrace the present opportunity to inform you that I received your letter of March 20th in due course of mail and was much pleased to hear from you and that you were all well and have not forgotten your aunt. I can inform you that we are all in middling health at present. I cannot say that I ever feel well myself but I am much better than I was through the winter. I was troubled with bad colds and cough, with uneasiness and shooting pains in my breast, so much that many nights I got but little rest. Samuel got me several kinds of medicine, but none seemed to give me much relief until he got me a bottle of Doctor Rogers liverwort and tar. I began to mend soon after I commenced to use it and my cough has almost left me.
And I hope that this silent messenger may find you all well. I think of you often and wish that my lot had been cast where I could see you often, talk with you, and be with you in sickness. There has been a great deal of sickness here this winter and spring and quite a number of deaths. John Hays lost his oldest son in the latter part of February and has been very bad with the fever himself since. Also his brother Samuel Hays. But I hear they are some better. Allen Hays, I understand, is very bad at this time with the typhoid fever.
The weather here still continues cold and stormy, and the wind blows a gale almost all of the time and feels like it came off snow or ice. Wheat crops do not look very flattering at this time. Samuel has not been to his wheat yet this spring but talks of going soon. Some that have seen it say that about half of it looks very well. We have moved out in the country about two miles south, or rather southwest, of Decatur close to the Illinois Central Railroad, and we see the cars every day passing to and from, puffing, blowing and snorting like some huge animal.
Samuel’s brother Peter Hess moved out this spring from Michigan. He started with the intention of coming to this place and sent his goods by Railroad, and himself and family came with the teams. But they did not get this far. He stopped about one hundred miles north of here near Otoway in Lasells County. He came to Decatur to see after his goods and paid us a short visit Came one day and left the next. He seems very well pleased with the country where they have stopped but he does not like it here.
Samuel and the boys are still engaged at the wood business, but owing to bad weather and muddy roads they cannot make much progress. Our object in moving here was to be more convenient to their work. Whether we will remain here longer than ‘til harvest I cannot now tell.
You say that I do not write to you any more. I wrote to you on the 2nd of March but I suppose you did not get my letter. I shall write oftener for the future and you must do the same. And I want my Brother (3562) and Sister (3565) to write also. We have had no letter from Charlie since in November last. We would be glad to hear from them. I want you to write as soon as you get this and let me know how you all are. Write long letters
I must now conclude with my love to you all and remain your affectionate Sister and aunt.
Sarah Blain (3705) Sarah Hess (3563)
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