806 10/11/1893 James Alexander Erwin to Albert Erwin

James Alexander Erwin Bridgeport, Connecticut Wednesday, October 11, 1893

Albert Erwin St. Peter, Minnesota

Thanks Albert, you dear little boy, for remembering to write me. Am glad to hear you have been doing such piles of work since you returned to dear old Minnesota. Give my very best regards to your dear little Ma, to Grandpa and Grandma, to my little sister Emma, and her husband, brother Dahlberg, and a good many kisses to dear little Carl and Ruth and all those other little cousins and relations. May the dear good Lord bless you every one. Yes, I know your birthday is near. It may even reach you before this letter does and though we cannot reach you this time with any good substantial presents, we wish you much blessing and many returns of a real happy birthday. But now we ___ to say something about that cross-gun. I feel now more than ever that you deserve a good cross-gun. Am glad to hear you are soon to commence school. Learn to read and spell well. Then you have a splendid start in life. And I hope you will learn to speak and write well. The Swede language as well, as that would be a great help to you and especially if you should chance to spend a part of your years in the west. Bob and Bert Barrows are just the same good jolly fellows. Not long ago there was a Wild West show came along here with a lot of cowboys and Indians and now every boy on the street is either a cowboy or an Indian and Saturdays they have a great time. Put up a tent on the lot near Mr. Orton’s and have a great powwow and they have a little cart with a big high boy on it, dress up 2 or 3 little fellers like Indians, put them on top. Half a dozen larger ones haul the cart. Then they form a street parade, and start off – the Indians capering around and cutting up, the cow fellers flourishing their guns and wearing broad-brimmed hats. Pretty slick. Oh, hold on a minute. Mary and Grandma have gone upstairs to bed and I’m here all by myself. If a cowboy or Indian should yell at me now wouldn’t it scare me awful? Mary comes down in the morning just as I’m building the fire and says booooo just as she used to. --------------------------------------- That means it’s morning now. Grandma is flying round frying cakes and Mary hurrying to get ready for breakfast and say now where’s my stocking !!! Now where’s my shoes !!! O dear – now get hot water ready. Thank you – write again quick. Gram.