Dartmouth
Halifax Co.
N. Scotia

Dear Aunt Sallie [1] ,

                Received your welcome letter this morning and was very glad to hear from you.  Many thanks for the pretty card and the kind wishes.  I will wish you all a very happy New Year.  I was to California four months this summer left here the last of April and Minnie [2] had Alex [3] at the station (Eugene Oregon) to meet us.  I did not think poor Minnie would last very long then she looked very bad and she said that her Dr. had told Alex if he did not take her to a better climate she would not live through the winter.  The little one is the largest child I ever saw for age.  My little girl was two years and ten months and Minnie's baby was just six months and she weighed 28lbs and my girl 26.  I stayed with Minnie two weeks then went to S.F. and took the steamer to Eureka arrived in Eureka one cold foggy morning no one at the wharf to meet me so I got a cab and drove to papa's [4] and he was not at home and the house locked up I felt very blue so what did I do but take my hand baggage in the next door neighbor's house and took my tired little ones by the hand and walked about five blocks to my Uncle Pete's [5] and there was no one at home there and I did not know where Addie's [6] home was I felt like having a good cry.  But as I was trying to think of some place to go I heard voices and so I looked around the corner and they (my aunt [7] and the children were in the barn they were suprised to see me and the boy went on his wheel to tell Addie I was there and she came down on her wheel I did not know people could change so in five years.  Addie is taller than I am and so big and I did not expect to see her so much aged she looks to be four or five years older than I am.  Tom [8] is six foot two and Jack [9] is nearly as tall as myself so I felt like a little sister to my big sister and brothers.  Minnie left the rain and mud of Oregon just one week (after I left her place to go to Eureka) and she went to San Francisco and was there about a month or six weeks when she came up to Eureka also, so papa had all of his children and grandchildren home at one time and he was very proud of us all.  He has six little grandchildren now four boys and two girls.  Poor Addie she has a poor man and she is far from well all of the time and has chickens to tend, a cow to milk, butter to make, and sometimes has to even carry watter, with her house work and little son it is to much for her in her state of health.  She expects another wee one in February. Papa worries a lot over her.  I sometimes think it would have been different if mother [10] had been left to us, but God know what is best for us.  She needs pity poor child and I am sure I tried to make my visit pleasant to her when I was home.  Papa did not like me to go back so soon he wanted me to stay untill spring, but as Mr. McElmon [11] was boarding and also sleeping at the hotel I though it would not be like home for him  I think maybe I was a little homesick myself. Papa has not changed one bit and they could not see any change in me except my Inglish twang as Minnie said.  Didn't she make fun of the way I talked and I could see no difference myself.  My boy [12] goes to school he will be five years old next April but he is very old for his years.  His hair is brown and eyes blue, very fair and he is so fat his little face is like a moon.  My girl [13] is very small for her age she was three last November.  She has gray eyes and brown hair and is darker than her little brother.  They are pretty good looking so they dont take after myself.  I am getting old will be 24 the 15th of Jan.  I am glad to be able to say my health is fine at present and I dont seem to be sick any this winter like last winter  I wish you would come here I dont see why you he could not get a church here or in Halifax.  We would be glad enough to look around and find out about anything you would like to know about.  The mill is doing fine and traid is flourishing  We are going to have a tree for the two little ones Xmas and they want so much I am almost temped to wonder how it will be when our baker dozen came to stay.  My Sunday school class gave me a Christmas card  and I gave them each a book five girls.  Mr. McElmon gave his boys each a Christmas card the children in the baby class had a tree and Nola got a doll and Dewey a whip  This letter is getting long.  But I forgot to tell you that Minnie has gained in flesh and looks so much better since coming to S.F.  Her address is         531 Shotwell St.
                               San Francisco
                                 Cal.

Must close with love to all write soon like a good Aunt.

                           Your loving niece
                              Sadie McElmon [14]
                                 Dartmouth
                                    Halifax Co
                                       N.S.