Salt Lake City July 27, 1851

Kind and affectionate Husband

After a silence of three long months do I again seat myself to write a few lines to him who is ever dear to my heart and who if he were present would cheer many a lonely hour and speak many a comforting word to this sad heart. not that I would wish to infer that I am always sad but there is often a dark cloud passes over my mind, but it soon vanishes away and all becomes light again I know there is a great distance that separate [separates] us. there are many a towering mountain and lofty billow and desert plains that separate our bodies Yet I trust that our hearts bound together with those strong cords of love and affection that cannot be severed by distance neither can they be in time or eternity if we prove true to our covenants that we have made before our God and in his holy house. I truly feel greatful [grateful] to you for writing so often and also to our heavenly Father for the safe conveyance of your letters to us. for it is truly cheering to us as well as to your friends and brethren to hear from you as often as we do and to hear of your prosperity in that far off land. I believe we have been about as lucky in geting [getting] our letters as any of the rest of the widows in this place. I am glad to hear you are as comfortably situated as your [you] are but was sorry to hear that your health was not verry [very] good but hope ere this you are hearty and well and able to preach the word of life to the people in their own language fluently, I think after you get through with the publication of the book of mormon [Book of Mormon] and your other writings so you will not be confined so closely your health will be better, my health has been quite poor for me for the last nine weeks. I have not been able to do my work all of the time, it has been with the greatest difficulty that I could dress myself without help; I have been troubled with something like the rheumatizm [rheumatism] which caused my joints and limbs to swell verry [very] bad and were very sore and lame, but for the last ten days my health has been gaining I am not quite so lame as I was, the rest of the family are all well. While I have been silent in writing you have had many other friends to write you whose letters would probably be far more interesting than mine and have written you all the news, therefore I have nothing that would be verry [very] interesting to write. times are rather dull here as far as money is concerned, it is verry [very] hard to be got hold of. indeed there is but verry [very] little in the place, there is an abundance of every thing [everything] in the place but nothing to buy it with, I could get a dollar by my own labour [labor] last year easier than I can get ten cents this year. Your brother Z Snow [Zerubbabel Snow 1809-1888] arrived in the valley about a week ago togather [together] with the rest of the territorial Officers, his health has not been verry [very] good since he arrived. there is but very little emigration through here to the mines this season Gold is not verry [very] plenty [plentiful], the people are very busy here now harvesting their wheat and cutting their hay, as a general thing wheat does not turn out as well as it did last season, it has been verry [very] dry and crops has [have] suffered verry [very] much for the want of watter [water], Charles thinks we will have barely enough to bread us this season, though he sowed considerable more than he did last season. they had a great celebration the 24 [24^th of July] the escort consisted [of] the Pioneers 24 Old ladies and Gentlemen 24 little boys and girls 24 Young Ladies and Gentlemen besides the Bishops and many others who walked in the procession, they also had a celebration the 4 of July [4^th of July – 4 Jul 1851], a picnick [picnic] to the Salt lake [Salt Lake], I went to the lake I thought the ride and a bath in the lake might do me good, the 24 [24^th of July – 24 Jul 1851] I celibrated [celebrated] at home alone with my two youngest children, I hope ere another 24 [24^th of July – 24 Jul 1851] rolls around that you will be home to join in the celebration I can hardly expect you will be in quite so early in the season as that but we will say to join in our September conference do not disapoint [disappoint] us, the Indians are rather troublesome we have to turn out and kill ten or [a] dozen often to keep the peace, there is not so much sickness since the dry weather came on as there was before, I took supper at brother Blair’s last evening with William and wife, he metioned [mentioned] of seeing you in St Louis [St. Louis, Missouri] and said he used to tell you he did not know whether he should be saved or damd [damned] but he had made up his mind thhat [that] he should be saved now for he did not think it was designed from the begining [beginning] that he should be damd [damned], he is a jovial fellow, Zera [Zerubbabel Snow] did not bring us any groceries and dried fruit as you directed for the want of means. I expect we will have to do pretty much without this season for the want of means to get them with,

July 31 [31 Jul 1851] as the mail closes this evening at 6 O'clock [o'clock] I sit down to finish my letter since I commeced [commenced] this the mail has arived [arrived] but brought us no letters Sister Tailor [John Taylor] has just received a letter from brother Tailor [John Taylor] the first one she has received since he left St Louis, it came in the California mail, he writes he shall be in next season as early as horses can bring him through, I hope you will accompany him through, we have all hands been a service burying [berrying] two days, we gathered between three and four bushels, they are deer bought buries [berries] it is all they are worth to get them and more to [too] your brothers and sisters are all as well as usuall [usual] except Williams [William Snow] wife, her health is verry [very] poor, I think she has the consumption and will probably go the same way Lydia did after a little, Mothers health is tolerable [tolerably] good, when Zera [Zerubbabel Snow] came in she had a dinner prepared and the best kind of a one to [too], and had all of her children and Grandchildren that were here togather [together], it was quite a mouth full for his wife to swallow when she come [came] to se [see] all of the women and children there were a few tears shed on the solemn occasion She gets along first rate but says heaven I deliver [?] her from supplying the men. you know she has quite a family of girls Mary just sent word to me that she saw brother [Brigham] Young yesterday he said you would be home next summer the girls are both well and send their love to you the children all send their love to you I told Artimesia her Father said he expected she had grown to be a mischievious [mischievous] little girl she looked me in the face and smiled and said “he does well I have not have I [?] tell Papa I have not”, Brother Noble and house looks lonesome he is a good deal of the time alone with his little children no one to keep his house Mary ann [Ann] is at home with her mother her health is verry [very] poor she is not able to take charge of the family if capable Benjamin Ashby and wife have parted Sister Ashbys children are all at Susans. I must close for the want of room some one of the family will write the next mail this from your true and affectionate wife Artimesia Snow [Artimesia Beman Snow 1819-1882]