(date - November 1890?)

My dear sister and brother, I now write after a long delay with kind love to all. Hoping you will forgive me for not writing before but, as I have heard from you by Miss Bristow's letters to my daughter, I have not wrote as I am so very busy sewing. I am glad to do all I can, for my husband's business is so very slow now the rail company is chief of the carriers. I have been very ill but, thank God, I am much better and begin to feel an old woman - seventy seven next month. I have had a bad fall. I went to see my daughter in Norwich and fell downstairs from top to bottom. From about thirteen or 14 stairs it was a straight steep staircase. It was a providential fall. He preserved me from breaking my bones. I was bruised all of my right side, did not break my skin only [on] my leg. That done badly for a time, then I went to the doctors with it. He give me some salve and bathed it with molasses, but I feel pain in the bone sometimes. Thank God I did not break any bones. My sister in law broke her neck falling down stairs. Poor Charlotte thought I was dead as I did not make any noise. My poor dear girl, I miss her very much but, thank God, I firmly believe she died happy, that I can't wish her back. Your sister Charlotte's son is married and has 2 children. They live with them so she is likely to be troubled with a family in her old days. My family are all well, thank God. Now I must conclude with our kind love to all, hoping you are all well. I know we shall not meet here no more, but there is a brighter shore there, release from toil and pain there. There we all may meet again, God grant it may be so. That will be a happy meeting. Hope to hear from you again. From your loving sister, Mary and Joseph Burton, he joins in love.