"Kiss your brother for me"

Effie Stryker's letter to her little 1st cousin- once- removed Allen Cass:

Transcription:

 Corydon, Pa

Jan. 25, 1892

Dear Allie,

I hope you will pardon me for not answering you letter before.  I was delighted to get a letter from you.  I can hardly believe you are old enough to write a letter and milk cows and a still greater surprise to me was to hear you had a little brother.  Would you liked a little sister better for now you will have to let him have half of the cows and horses that you might have.

I am going to try hard to go out there while there is good sleighing.  Tell your Ma that my ma and I may take a start any time if Pa gets feeling quite well but he is feeling very poorly most of the time. I think if you are large enough to milk cows you can drive a horse so you can come and see us.  I would like to see you once more before you get as big as your Pa.

Now we want to see you and your brother, your Pa and your Ma over here just as soon as that baby can be taken out of doors.  Ma wanted me to write this for her as well as for myself.  Her eyes trouble her so she can not write herself.

If we possibly can Ma and I are going out there as Pa will not be able to go.  He does not get out of the house.  I do not think of anything that will interest you.  Hope you will write me again.
      

 With love to all I remain

            You Cousin Effie

Kiss your brother for me.

P.S. Asa is quite busy just now but if Ma can not leave to go Asa and I may arrange to go and see you ere long.  E.M.R.  

Editor's Note: Rollie was born December 19th so he was just a month old when this letter arrived, Allen would have been 10.  Effie's father Jasper Stryker was 72 years-old and sounds like he is in very bad shape.  I don't know when he dies yet but he does not make it out of the century.  Effie's mom, Mary Stryker was 54 years-old in 1892 but is listed as living with her son Leslie in the 1900 census.

Cousin Effie is 32 years old and Asa is 33.