My dear sister,

I now take the pleasure of writing these few lines, hoping to find you and family all well as it leaves us now. thank God. I have been very ill since I wrote to you last but, thank God, I am quite well now. I received your letter the 14^th of February and was very glad to hear from you. Dear sister you must excuse my not writing before as I had to write to Hannah, and she was some time before she sent her likeness, but she has sent it now with her kind love to you all. She is quite well but her husband has not got off his lameness. The son knocked him down and hurt his knee the forepart of the winter. I dare say you think it unkind of me to have them sending you another likeness, but I cannot get them to have them taking. They keep promising, that’s all. I took my husband's to have one taken from it, and that was there 3 or 4 months, and they did not take it so I took it away. I do not like to part from that till I get another. We have had a very long cold winter. Last Sunday, March 11^th, it was snowing all the day. It would have been a deep snow if it had not melted as it came down, and it is very cold and stormy now. We have had a great deal of rain all winter as well as snow, so that some places have been [so] flooded that they have been obliged to have boats to take provisions about, and people were obliged to live upstairs, and trains could not run on some lines. Turnip crops have been all under water. They could not be got up. Flour has been reasonable but everything else has been dear - butter 2 and 4 per pint, and 2 and 6 - meat very dear. I could not understand your prices. I have not been to Frettenham. There are such alterations that I cannot pluck up the heart to go. Charles[1] has left the shop and house. He was stripped out. Where he is living now, I do not know. His son is carrying on William's business, whether for her or himself I do not know, for they never write. Charlotte has very poor health. She is still at Hockering. She sends her kind love to you all. Now I must conclude, with kind love to you all and, if I could see you, I could tell you a lot. Goodbye, God bless you all. I hope one day to meet you in heaven. I remain your loving

Sister Mary Burton

Footnotes

1: Probably Charles Remmington (b.1820) who had taken over the smith's shop in Frettenham from his father William