Langholm
Sept. 26, 1849

Dear Walter and Helen and John,
We received your letter directed to Thomas on the July Fair night or rather the night before.  Thomas happened to be here and got his part with him and read it or got it read at Kirtlelon and sent it back and then got ours and read it.  He was here about 10 days ago. I asked him what I was to say when I wrote.  Tell them I am happy to hear they are well and liking their new home.

It gave us all much pleasure indeed.  Janet has not been here since you went away.  She is still at Hawick(?) so is Jane and Mary.  They are all in good health for anything we know. Mary and her mistress are here living with Betty Brown having fled from Hawick about 5 weeks since on account of the Cholera which has been in Hawick since the end of July and carried off to the end of last week about 170 persons and is still as bad as ever.

Janet had it about 3 weeks since but by the last accounts we had she was got better.  We are all well at this time and so are your father and mother (Alexander and Grizzel Hotson) and Janet and all the rest. 

Helen’s uncles and aunts are all well.

Mr. and Mrs. Penford (?) send you their best respects. They are in good health.  Waughs(?) Bell is with Tom Park and well.  Andrew Johnstone alias Pilsness(?) was married to Jeanie Armstrong. Likewise your Uncle Tommy’s son John (Hounam) was married to Mary Newell about Whitsunday.

Tell John to be a good boy and not to go far from home unless some of you be with him and we will some of us come and see him in another year or two and then when he is a man he will come and see us.  James’s love to John and tell him he is well and he will write him a letter next time we write.

Tell him I forgot to tell you that William Laidlaw was married to Janet Little about 6 weeks ago.  Helen will receive enclosed a pattern from Janet.  The pattern is the full half size of the cape.  Helen your mother bids me tell you that you have given her a great deal of satisfaction that you like your new Country better than you expected you would.  We were pleased to hear you had got a good house to live in and plenty of work and a good master. 

You were wanting some receipts (recipes) for making confectionary. Your mother went to Robert Paisley and Jemima Pattison and they both said it would be necessary to have some to teach you as well as a confectionary book.

We return you our thanks for the 2 newspapers you sent us.  We received the last this day and your mother began and read nearly the whole of it before she laid it down. 

John and Bella and family are well except little John.  He is much the same as when you left.  Little Walter is well and talks a good deal about John. When we ask him where John is he says far away over a sea.  We have had a very good harvest which is nearly finished.  The crops are very good. They are commencing taking up the Potatoes which are a good crop but considerably injured by the disease in some places though not so much as in some of the years by past.

We were much put about when we heard of your disaster on first leaving Liverpool* (see below) although by the blessing of Providence you were all preserved yet still you had to venture again. Your coolness in the midst of danger gratified us very much but if the ship had gone down most probably few would have been saved.  You must excuse me for being so long in writing as it is a thing I like very ill to do as I cannot half please myself which you will see by this I have every reason to say. I mean on the composition. As for the writing, if it can be read, it is enough.  God bless you all.

Your affectionate Father and Mother,  John and Janet Murray