and when she heard you were to be chairman she was very much put out she had not gone to it. Your coming up on New Year's Day prevented that. The drough[t] is fearful and is making every thing look very bad here and all over the country. I put in about 1 1/4 acre of potatoes the day after Christmas expecting rain and if we do not get rain soon I fear the seed will perish. We have very good potatoes considering the season in the gardin. Poor Mrs & Mr Oliver requested of me to inter....ing with you in his behalf to try and get them one of the court magistrates appointments with Major Whitmore. I think myself he would answer one of the those appointments very well and if you could put in a word for him I think it would add some more to your credit. Yours always affectionately Archibald John McLean