Kyneton,
September 27th 1875,
My Dear Sister, I received your kind and welcome letter and one from brother John and am glad to hear you are all in the land of the living. I am sorry to hear that Robert and you is troubled with rheumatism. They trouble me sometimes but not very bad. I am 76 years old again Christmas and pretty healthy for my age.
My daughter Sarah, that is Mrs Harper, is got quite well again, healthy like.
I am very sorry for your son William. He has his share of trouble. The dear little children lost their mama very soon. It is well that they had a kind grandpa and mama to come to. They will not miss their mama so much.
It is a fearful thing to be pestered with them caterpillars, we had them the last two summers very bad. They eat up all the grass from the cattle and sheep.
I am of opinion that the world is nearly at an end. The news brings word of a fearful earthquake in America and what destruction it made with life and property. And in France the floods and loss of life and property. We have had large floods here. Some their grass and crop all under water and swept out of their houses. Thank God me and my friends are safe as yet..... I must tell you we as a family is getting very numerous. A few days since we were counting them and we made them one hundred and twelve, sons, sons-in-law, daughters, daughters-in-law, grand children, and great grand children.
Poor John, my brother, got a paralytic stroke the week before his son James wrote to me. I hope he is better poor fellow. I hope he has made his peace with God for we know not the day nor the hour the son of man cometh.
I must conclude, with kind love to yourself, Robert, Nancy, and husband and the four little ones. Give my love to all your children and believe me, your affectionate sister.