Jessie and you would do as dairy maids in the bush and how delighted I should be to see you enjoying the weight of the milch pale from the milching yard to the dairy and afterwards telling me how quiet one cow was, how cross another, how stupid a third, how annoying a 4th and what a pest the young calf [crossed out] calves trying to steal the milch from the pails were and what an exciting life a settler's wife was. Then pet when she would receive no consolation from her husband for overcoming such wonderful difficulties would either fly out to Jessie or Papa or the herd boy to take pity on her or else her better sense might even induce her to resort to some consolatory book on the shelf until she found her husband more pliable and indulgent. Poor petty, I think of you during every quiet walk I take. I fancy that the various delightful objects of nature that my eye surveys in [crossed out] is only half enjoyed without you. Even plants, shrubs, flowers are ap[p]reciated with some recollections of you You must fancy that the various blottings in this letter are occasioned by an excess of wine but fortunately Scott has none I drink. No spirits, my principle beverage is tea