[Almost no punctuation in the letter, though it's usually pretty clear where sentences begin and end. I added all the paragraph breaks for ease of reading.]Receiv'd May 5. 1892
So. H. Falls
My Dear Bro
I suppose you will say it is my turn to write. Well it may be so we will call it so. Probably I will not interest you very much in what I shall write but there is one thing I think I can interest you with and that is our prosperity[.] We can tell each other how we are prospering in our Old Age[.] I very often think how wonderfully God has blest us in the past and when I think of the many imes and ways I have been so near deaths door and yet living and enjoying so good measure of health and strength I say it is wonderful[.] I can hardly realize that I can almost count on my 82 mile stone.
When I look back to my Early days and think of those of my associates my school mates why they are all gone years ago many of them died young men and women truly I can say the Lord has been my helper, there is one he did not go to school much with us but he was near our age. He lives in Belchertown[,] Theodore Chapman[.] I should like to see him he is about all there is left that I can think off [sic] perhaps you know of some others[.] I see his wifes name in the Belchertown items frequently[.] She is quite active in her home at B.
Thank you for your nice letter March 7th it seems real good to get a letter that you have written with your own hand and those hands are scarce that can use a pen like yours that have seen as many days I think if I remember rigtly [sic] that the Aldens were pretty good penmans[.] Generally I know that all of my Boys know how to use a pen pretty well.
We received a letter from Ezra 18th of March telling us about the shock his mother had the week before[.] hop[e] she is having good health now. Also all your household.
I have done something this year that I never have done before in letter writing[.] I have written a letter of congratulation to all of my boys on Each of their birth days[.] Irving 1st day of Jan 36 yrs old Edwin 8th of Jan 46 yrs old and Everett 26 of Feb 53 yrs old and I also wrote a long letter to Adaline Johnson on her birth day 11th March she was 58 yrs old[.] So you see I have done quite a buisness [sic] in writing birth day letters and I am going to do Some more this year if I live[.] Ellens [sic] comes the 24th of August she will be 57 yrs old and Eugenie birthday was the 15th of March 48 yrs old and wife wrote a note of Congratulations to her and I carried to her and I intend to have you receive this on your birth day and when you read this you will know the age of all My Children[.]
And now I am going to surprise you some what. Wife & I are thinking of going to Boston this summer if the Good Lord prospers us[.] Edwin has been trying to have us come & visit him Ever since he married his second wife and now Irving has gone settled down near Edwin only 25 minutes walk from him[.] Irving has moved from Linden where he has been living since he went to Boston he is living in Malden his addres[s] is (Malden Mass 63 Granville Ave Falkner)
I am a good better than I was when I wrote you last I had a long spell of dizziness good deal better of that now. We think if we go to B we shall leave home the last of May or the first of June and we think of coming to Greenwich on our way and stop a few days with you & yours and go from there to Ware or Hardwick (If we can get [...]) to take the cars for B[.] Irving wants to have us come so as to be with him the 21st of June that is Carrie Ethels birth day and I would like to be there on that day so that Grandpa and Carrie could celebrate their birth days to-gether[.]
It will be quite an event for us old folk to take such a journey[.] Wife thinks it will be most too much for me, but I tell her I dont think it will be any more tiresome than to work int eh shop at the bench all day[,] day after day as I have done good deal of the time this spring.
I have been doing a good deal of fancy work I have been making some furniture for a dressmaker and some foot rests for my neighbors also some birth day presents in dolls headsteads[.] I have made 4 of these one for Mabel Egenias girl and one for Carrie Ethel I expect to take to B[.] I put it together an[d] finish it up then take it apart and pack it[.] I have made 2 out of chestnut and have just finish'd one, it is a model I think it would take a pretty smart young man to beat it and the men are scarce that have seen 82 yrs that will match it[.] I am going to give this to the young ladies benevolent society they have a May party the 12 & 13 of this month they will either sell it at auction or sell ticketts. [sic] it ought to sell for five or six dollars and now I think I had better stop so I shall not tire you all out reading so much folderot.
I can tell you the rest when I see you so good by
From Brother