[Some paragraph breaks added for ease of reading. Mary Mateer, at this time quite elderly, had recently had a bad fall in her home, and her children in Missouri, concerned over her living alone, have persuaded her to move and live with them. She is having obvious anxiety over having to give up her home and her things, and leave where she has lived for many years.]Mechanicsburg Jan. 19/93
My Dear children
You will think I am long writing to you well so I am but I have not been able but now I am about to try I am so thankful for your letters and your kind invitation to come and see you all and stay awhile I am recovering my strength again after my fall am doing my own turns agan [sic] sent my girl off have a neighbor woman to come and stay over night with me and help to get breakfast am not quite as strong as usual yet but hope to be before long[.]
I expect to break up housekeeping in the spring though it will be a terrible trial to me as I have just everything I need for housekeeping I just wish you could see how nice I do live and just to go deliberately to work and seal everything of [sic] off I hardly see how I can do it atall [sic] I have a number of little things which I have had all my married life and now they must go it does worry me I cannot help it and yet it may be best I have enjoyed living here very much as long as I can live alone and have things my own way[.]
[B]edding and carpets I will divide around amongst the children according to the best of my judgement I must inquire about the price of freight I mean to keep for my own room and bedding for my bed and some other little things which I just cannot part with not much however as they will only be in the way at Willies [her son, William D. Mateer, in Missouri] as I presume their house is full. I feel that I must stay awhile on my way with those children that dear little Mary I hope she will not get away from me.
The friends here are all verry [sic] kind and appear sorry that I am leaving Ellen has quite a care over me. We are having verry cold weather I have not been on the street since my mishap am timid about walking.
My sale is to be on the 25 of March then if the traveling is safe, I will be ready to go pretty soon I have not yet written to Nettie do not know whether she can be here then or not it will not be a pleasant time for her to visit here. I could not get the house for six months or I would have taken it and feared I could not stay the whole year so I gave it up I had a real hard fall in the dark but for this I would have staid on as usual. I do not know how I shall like Missouri it is so far away and will be so new to me. I will not be far from Lillie [her daughter] can go and see her. JL [her son, John L. Mateer] expects to bring his wife home in the Spring and of course he will have to come with her I may meet him in Wooster neither of them are well.
Now it is evening and I must close with love & kisses to the little ones and all as ever
Mother