My dear sister and brother, I received your letter the 11th of December and was glad to hear from you, and to hear you are all well as, thank God, it leaves us. Now dear sister, I hope you will excuse my not writing to you before. I have thought about you many times but felt as if I could not write for we have had many troubles and illnesses in our family and deaths. My husband has been ill and my daughter Hannah has buried her husband and one child. They went to London to live about three years ago. He thought he could get a better living there. Instead of that, they made off with all they had. It did not agree with any of them. They buried one child there, then they came and he died. About three months after he died last June, [he] left her with four children. He was only 35 years old, and one daughter in law has been in Norwich hospital with an internal disease. She had to leave three little children but, thank God, she is pretty well now. We have been very unfortunate, we have lost two horses this year besides other losses, but I trust in God we shall get over it in time. So I think you will excuse me. I never hear anything of your brother Charles, but they live in Hainford in the public house that William died in. His wife is dead. Charlotte is as well as usual. She is never up to much. She has not been to Lyng since I hurt my ankle, and I have not seen Hannah since, though she might come if she liked. She always is so busy, she is a rare old maidish customer. They are got into a better farm last year. I don’t know how they get on for she never writes. I suppose she can never make time. My oldest son has seven children. They are always out and in, so I have plenty of company - sometimes too much. I have not sent you my husband's likeness this time. He got three taken by a man that goes about. They are not good so I have not sent it this time, but if he don’t get any more taken I will send it next time I write if I am spared so long. Now this is my birthday, 16th January - 66 - getting an old woman but, thank God, I have my health never better. Now I think I must come to a close with our kind love to you all, wishing you a merry Christmas and a happy new year. I wish I could come and dine with you and hear your grandchildren play their organ, for I am very fond of music. Goodbye, God bless you all. I hope we shall meet in heaven. That will be a happy meeting. I remain your loving sister, M. Burton. We have very cold weather, frost and snow.