February 12, 1890

Pullman, IL

PO box 1137.

Dear Cousin Charley

Your looked for letter arrived yesterday morning and the paintings this afternoon.   to say I was delighted to hear from you again is the very mildest possible form of expressing my feelings in the matter. Tis just two months today since I came here and I have not heard a word from you since about the last week in November    I have written twice in the past two months to you to your old address as I had lost the last one in moving out here. From your letter I think you did not get either of them. Something seems to tell me were sick and unable to write

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so I wrote to Mr. Watson concerning you but heard another word from there.  Every letter Ella wrote she has asked have I heard from Charley.  I sent her the good news about half an hour ago.

Dear boy I am more than twice pleased with the paintings    I think they are both very beautiful handsome and grand and can honestly say that they are the best I’ve ever seen      in the first place they are much larger than I ever thought of getting and I am sure that has been not one touch left unfinished      every leaf, stone and every thing else is perfect

Charley I shall never be able to thank you sufficiently for them but I shall ask you to tell me which is which  after I get them framed    I shall put them in the window for a while      they are very attractive and the more I and others look at them the more we want to look    and at every glance  I can see some new beauty in them.

Charley I am so sorry that you

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are dissatisfied with America and it grieves me very much to hear from you that success has not crowned your efforts in this country     and I regret still more that there will be a vacant place by my side on my wedding day on account of your absence. Charley I wanted you to stand up with me on that occasion. Ella and I have so often spoken of you as the one to help hold me up at the happiest hour of my life up to this time

On the other hand I am very glad that you do not think you will stay in England, I want you in this country I would very much like to have you here in Chicago , but since you have fully made up your mind to go. perhaps it will be the best for a little while but it will seem so bad I cannot see you before you go. I do hope you will have a pleasant voyage soon to return again    and I hope ? presence ? will reign wiith you always     trusting you or not altogether discouraged with the with this side

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of the big pond.

Harry and Fannie became Ma and Pa sometime in December. Father, Mama Lizzie Herbie and Go Way are all well.  They have had La Grippe in Paris very bad  Annie, Harry and Minnie were down with it. Robert says business was never so quiet with him as it is now and does not know how to account for it , Jennie and Louis are doing well in Orillia   Jennie had La Grippe very badly but is better now    I have lots more news to tell you but I will write a letter to the old country address telling how I came here and what I am doing and how I am doing it.

I must go to the city of Chicago on the first train. I have a recent message to come at once but I know not what it is for

Good by dear boy and let not this farewell be for ever

remembered me kindly do any of your

(Following written upside down)

friends who may think it worthwhile to enquire for me      wishing you a safe and pleasant journey

I know Ella would join me in sending our united love to you and yours

Trusting you will believe me to be your affectionate cousin

Will C. Slater

Box 1137 Pullman Illinois