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Old Mission, Mich Jan.15th 1925

My Dear Miss Taft:- I think it about time to ans. your letter Have been busy as usual & have neglected you. Every day brings a lot of work around for me. We have had quite cool weather of late but no severe snow storms will knock on wood right away. As we have a great plenty of white blankets on the ground now.

Joseph went in [Town] a week or more ago & brought the storm windows down also the feed.

Uncle Otis Haywood & his wife moved into Freeman's house for to spend the winter about 10 weeks ago. He was ailing for two or three days but no one considered him very ill. Last Wed. he began having sinking spells & only lasted a few hours. Doctor said he had dropsy & heart failure. They were very fine neighbors & I will miss them a lot. His wife is grandma Kitchen's sister. She will live up there with the rest of them from now on. They were poor & did not have any thing at all. They had given what they had to their children & then they did not want to care for them I think it such a pity. He was 75 yrs. old & she is 73 so they could not do much for them-selves any more.

I thought I had mentioned about Mr. Ayes in one of my letters. Joseph went to see him & he said he could not promise any-thing as he is all alone now since Clifford left there. And he is getting old to do such work. Joseph tried to coax him. But you know how he is. He must be well into his seventies now. I am sorry I did not mention it before. I do forget so easily some times.

Jos. had shoes put on Queen's front feet when he had her in town. She is quick on her feet but if she should fall it migh be a hard one.

I hope I have not omitted something you would like to know about.

Joseph thinks it best not to put new window panes into that basement window until you get ready to use it. As the cows may walk up & poke their horns thro' it. He has paper over them for now. With love, Essie.

$ 1.20 Queens shoeing .25 currey comb. .25 barn rent .30 Jos. dinner $9.55 on hand $2.00 expenses 7.55 To Your credit.

P.S. If I have failed to ans. Your questions please remind me again & I will try not to fail you next time.

Miss. Taft I forgot to mention in my letter about Joseph cutting down a few of those old beach that is hollow & the tops are getting rotten. We will need more wood before the summer is over. And it is a great saving to have it dry instead of burning water & sap. [over].

He did not think it necessary to ask you about it. But I know I would not want some one to cut any of my timber if I had it without asking first. Please mention in your next letter as he oughto get those things done now. Before trimming & so forth comes on.