In this letter, my G grandmother, Ella Sanders Raff, refers to the aborted visit made by her husband, Almon Keeler Raff's, cousin Frank (Frances Ebi) a few days before. Frank had taken the train from Davenport to see if she could help out, but Ella sent her back home after a short visit. (See A. K. Raff letter posted yesterday.) She describes her daughter Nellie as being "quiet" and "growing thinner each day". Nellie had been sick with consumption for a long time.~~~ Muscatine Dec. 25th, 1893 Dear Frank, This Christmas evening, what is left of it, I have to myself. Fred and Edith have gone to the Sunday school entertainment at our church, Nellie quiet, and so concluded I could employ it in no better way than doing a little letter writing or at least acknowledging Christmas gifts. Fred went to the Post Office this morning to see if there was any mail from Keeler and not only found two letters from him but a stack of other mail and notice of packages at the Express office. He came home loaded down, a package from you, one from Mary, one from Ma and from Keeler. It made me feel mean to think we should have received so much and given nothing but we enjoyed them all the same and thank you all very much for them. I hope we can return some of your kindness but now I had no means, nor time nor heart to do anything. Your nice little visit here helped me in a good many ways. I think too you went home pretty well posted as to what our needs were for Christmas as the contents of the box proved. You may be sure they will all be put to good use. I did not expect to be possessed of a pair of those over shoes so soon as this when I was speaking to you about them. I am afraid you must have hurried yourself to get them made, I would have thought myself fortunate to get the pattern. Helen proves herself to be as good a cook as ever, her cookies, cake and candies are better than ever as we have judged not only by the looks but taste too, for she could not expect Nellie to make way with such a quantity. Nellie has been very much the same since you left. Eats less and less and grows thinner and weaker but has seemed brighter today, talked more and noticed the gifts received, there were several from town, Mr. Prosser gave her a beautiful boquet of cut flowers, Keeler wrote in his letter about gettin! g his mail at council Bluffs. Your letter among the rest and how glad he was to hear from you, he has now started on a trip farther west than he has yet been. I must close this letter now and begin another. I will thank you once more and give you all our best wishes for a "Happy New Year". Ella ~~~~~~*~~~~~~ Letter typed verbatim. ~~~~~~*~~~~~~ Elaine Rathmann Assist. CC: Scott Co, IA USGenWeb Project List Adm. for: *IA-CIVIL-WAR *IA-DANES