Fannin County,  Ragsdale, Texas  1888

Dear brothers and sisters

Received your favors in due time, both checks came all right and my tongue can’t use language to express my thanks to you all for the money you all sent me, for it cost me all the money we had made to buy medicine and live on during Ella’s sickness and it shut us off from work for six weeks and could not see where the money was to come from to buy the burial outfit but the man that owns the place that we live on came to me the morning she died and told me that anything  I wanted he would get it and this money you all sent me will defray all of that expense and little left.  Been in a strain, I plas??  I think I would have to sacrifice one of my mules but everything worked for the better.  Mary, you know how we was situated.  We had corn enough made to winter our mules and plenty of hay and wood and had plenty  (of)

meat but had to spend our money during our sickness.  We lost all the best cotton picken.  We could of made plenty to have ???? but that is all over,  but we can get some work to do on the place that we live on.  You all think it best for us to come home but don’t think we can before fall.  It will cost too much.  It is too late to come in our wagon and it will cost too much by railroad.  We will raise a crop and come in the fall.  Would love to be there with you all but I think its best for us to wait until fall.  We are getting along alright  likely ???????????????????????? dead.  The children is all  well and hearty and since I have rested up I am getting stout again.  Mary, I was just about gone when poor Ella left me.  I done all of the waiting on her during the five weeks.  I know that I did not sleep one week of the time.  Two weeks I did not sleep one night of the time.  It was impossible for me to sleep.  She was a poorest sight you ever seen.  I could lift her around just like a child. She lay so long that she had a bed  sore on her right hip.  She never complained

 of anything of  hurting her at all.  To ask her if any thing hurt her she would say nothing poor little Joda?? would  go to her bed a dozen times a day and say how do you feel Mommy and she always said she felt better and it was the same with all that ask her.  She was in her right mind only at times.  She got so hoarse you could not hear her talk the night before she died.  In the morning I lay down and the women that was there told her to go to sleep and she told them she would not until I came and slept with her.  I went and lay down with her, she laid her arms around my neck and tried to say something and went to sleep.  She died at half past eight.  Mary,  I will close, I can’t say any more.  Tell Bill that I will write and it is hard for me to write any so good by from your brother until death.

                                                                        Ben Humphries