to be left so destitute. We thank God have our own sisters now with us and surely we will be able to get what will do us in this weary world with industry and care. I feel relieved now that I have pened you this as I think it a duty to do so. I recolect our poor mother saying to me once that Uncle Donald had sent her share of his first sallary to help to teach us. There is no good in telling you for you know plenty. My dreams have fallen on the side I lest expected. The death of my wife's parents is a thing that can only be surely expected as their years come to that time but he was not so old or so infirm. I would like to hear all the a/c of his illness and cause of death. If you had a letter please send it me with particulars of his death. There was never anything happened me that has filled my heart with real sorrow so much as this. Every word and act of the worthy man comes fast home to me now. He has left this world without any tarnish on his name for he was respected both by poor and rich and we have reason to be proud of his memory. It was him that could spend nights and days speaking of his favoured theme, the McLean boys. If their was anything he was weak on it was that every act of ours that he came to know of was made his table talk. I will forever regrete not having gone to see him before I came out here for he wrote for me to come. My dear little Douglas will have no one to gave him a warm welcome to his father's native soil now. His aunt Flora poor thing is the only one but thank God he is in good hand and well cared for. No more till we meet. Your affectionate brother Archibald John McLean