[Without the envelope, and knowing more about the Harris family, I cannot definitively date this letter. It may well be 1877.]
New Bedford Mass. August 5th 1872
Dear Cousin [Edwin Newton Lawson]
it is A long time since we have heard A word from you or Sarah dont know what you think of me for not writing to you before but I can tel you I have had my hands & heart full of late my youngest Sister that lived here was taken sick last Christmas I was with her from New Year till the 7th of Feb with the exception of one week then I brought her home so I could do my work & take care of her to she had very sick spells & then she would be quite smart again but every time she would seem worse the 18th of May she was so smart that she rode over to Fair Haven to A Funeral A the next Tuesday she was taken down worse & suffered every thing till the 22d of July when Death ended her sufferings so you can Immagine my loneliness after having the care of her so long for six weeks before she Died she was out of her head most all the time only knowing eny one or eny thing momentarily then wandering again so we had to watch her so closely from the 7th of Feb till she Died I only went in my bed one night but I lay on the lounge in the front room ware I could see her if she wanted any thing & not half the time undressing so I got pretty wel tired out the 9th of July my oldest Sister from Conn came & stayed till the 27th but she is feeble with Dropsy so was not able to do much my nephew got in from Sea this Evening just 2 weeks to late to see his Mother she Died 2 weeks ago this morning her Son had been gone over 7 years since Sister Died I have been trying to clean House A little as she was so feeble I did not clean in the Spring but I spent to much this hot weather we had A letter from Clinton last week saying your health was better but Melvins Wifes health was poorly now Either I propose that you & Melvin & his Wife if she is able come down here & make us A good long visit you wont be obligated to go back with them as you have nothing to hinder you from staying as long as you are A mind to & if it should agree with Jennie so near the salt Water it would do her good to stay awhile Clinton has written to Melvin he thinks A great deal of Melvin & his Wife he thinks she is just one of the nicest Women living. [Eleanor's husband] Robert is Watching nights to the Oil works to the same place that he Watched several years ago Clinton is to his old place to work again in the Carriage Factory but work is rather dull at present he expects to be out soon so he wil have plenty of time to go round with Melvin now I shall look for you so dont disappoint me drop me A line before you start
ever your Affectionate Cousin E. A. [Eleanor Ann (Harris)] Lawson