Lyng Dec 11, 1882

My Dear Sister & Brother with kind love I rite these few lines was glad to hear from you again and to hear you are all well as thank God it leaves us at present now dear sister I hope you will forgive me for not righting to you before I received your letter with your husbands picture I had not the least knowledge of him but he look a nice old gentelman I hope I shall know you both in heaven I said I would not right to you any more till I could send my husbands picture but I cant get him to have it taken so I have sent you one that I have had for some time I supose its 6 or 7 years ago there is but very little difference in him now for he is looking well he is stouter than he was he did get it taken a little time ago with his dogs by his side but it was done so bad that I would not send it it was taken by some men that came into the village this begin to look faded it have been hanging in the house ever since it was taken now dear Sister I am glad to hear that you have had good crops our farmers have had good crops this year last year it was very wet harvest the corn was a great deel of it spoiled some of them had not done till after mickelmus this year we have the flour at 1 and 10 per stone but our crops are nothing like yours we have no apples this year I supose its every were alike something came to the trees in blosom we have very wet wether and have had for some time I think I never remember so much wet we are going on much the same as usel with losses we had a horse dropt down dead coming home from Norwich just before harvest it was a very good one it was a heavy loss it was heart disease now I must tell you that I have not heard anything from sister Hannah since they went to a situation soon after their oction she just rote a line to Charlot just to say they got there all right but I have not heard from them I supose they know they have not acted right about Betsy money she only got 11 pounds for forty three he had plenty of time that he might have sold a cow or something and let her had part of it he would have been just as well thought of by the others so I told her but he was ashamed to come but still Hannah and I parted good friends but they never right to Betsy so where they are I don’t know I did hear from a person that they had left that place I should like to know what is becom of her Charlot is as usel often very poorly she have not been to Lyng for two years I go and see her as often as I can but I cant get her out she say that she is allways best at home now I will just say that I am 69 the 17 of this month my husband is 72 he is as upright as you see him in his likeness and can walk miles at a time so now I conclude with our kind love to you all wishing you a merry Christmas and a happy new year I wish I could see you I hope we shall meet in heaven from your ever loving sister and brother

Mary & Joseph Burton