Avon, Wis., July 25, 1862
My Dear Children, Henry, Edson, and Willie,
We arrived safely at this place last evening. We reached Chicago
Wednesday evening between the hours of eight and nine, and stopped
at the Eagle Hotel. I was very weary. Thursday morning I laid down in
my room to rest while your father went out in the city. He returned just
in time to take the cars, and brought a basket of fruit—of tomatoes,
peaches, and apples. They were very nice. We ate the fruit with our
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bread taken from home.
We have tried, dear children, to commit your case to God. We trust
you in his hands. Remember what we have said to you. You know our
wishes well. We have confidence that you will have a principle to do
right, because you love the right, and despise every wrong act. Take
good care, Henry and Edson, of your little brother Willie. If he should
learn any wrong and bad habits, it would distress me very much. Try
to make each other happy. Don’t seek to have your own way, but yield
one to another. Be affectionate, kind, and true to each other. God will
help you if you call upon him for help. Satan is busy, but with the
strength you obtain from God you can resist him. Don’t let your minds
dwell upon low things. Think of heaven, of the compassionate, loving
Saviour, who died for you. Oh, what love, what marvelous love is this!
Return this love by yielding to him the best and holiest affections
of your hearts. All that you can do is to give yourselves to him, and
obey him. God help you to be faithful, is the prayer of your parents,
who sincerely love you.
Your affectionate Mother.
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