Dear Brother:- yours of the 23 ult is just received and was glad to hear from you again I cannot see why it is that my letters are so long getting to you last one was only six days coming to me. The letters to the little ones was received and read amid shouts of applause and I'll bet you never saw a set of better pleased young ones than they were. Ida says you must have a little patience & her letter in answer will be forthcoming soon she can read anywhere she wishes. The school opened for the fall term on last Monday but she went to a subscription school during the vacation of the Union schools. She is studying reading and geography and getting along very well. Willie says that he is a good boy, or at least he cannot see it in any other light. He is willing to work at any thing that he can do. And as for the

Dog he was a rebel when you got him and he is not much better yet as the folks what has him now are copperheads but he still has a hankering after a union, for he stays with us a part of the time. But he may eventually discard the rebel ideas he learned in his puppyism. Frank says he would like to be among them little rebels and if they didnt holler for the union hed knock them into the middle of next week. Aunty Dodd is all right again. The beet that she choked on has come out below and is as black as she was, Yes she has discarded you and gone and went and married another nigger man. so you see you cannot pull any more wool there sartain. I do not know who she got. I am well at this time except a bad cold. Aney is not very well -- has had a swelled jaw for the past week it gathered and broke and is better now the children are all well. The baby is well and is getting as fat as a pig

Granny enjoys very good health this fall and getting along very well. I have nothing from Somerset since I last wrote to you. That box of goods I started to you on the 19th of sept. by the Adams Express Co and it ought to reach you as soon as your letters come to me at least I am glad to hear that your eyes are getting well, it was not necessary to have rain water for that powder, soft water wuld answer as well. We had quite a frost about 4 weeks ago but it did not injure the vegetables any. Tom Sesson died a short time ago and leaves a large family of small children. The two Methodist Churches have again united they are going to tear the Old Brimstone down and build a new and larger church and then sell the eastern charge church. We got a letter from John Stickels [i.e., Private John Stickel] wife yesterday & she says that John is at Atlanta. She is well. They live in Van Wert in Van Wert county

The butternuts are not making much fuss this fall as yet. We have not had any big meetings in our city yet, and there will be none before the election They are past coming to grief. The army of the Potomac made another successful move last week and I think that between Grant and Sheridan Richmond is doomed to fall into our hands before long. The treason trial in Indianapolis [i.e., Ex parte Milligan, 1864-1866] is giving to the world some startling disclosures. But if you get the Cincinnatti [sp. Cincinnati] papers you wil learn all about it. Our county Fair commences next Tuesday. Before you get this another great battle for the Union will have been fought and the rebs at home brought to disgrace for I feel it in my bones that they will be the worst beat party that has ever made a stand against right and justice. Now hoping to hear a good account from the soldiers in the field in this great political contest that is now looked forward to with so much hope by the rebs both north and

south. I remain yours truly ever looking forward to the restoration of peace and a reconstruction of the Union on the principle of Justice and Freedom to all

James