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Letter.

Dear Mother
I now take my pen in hand to address you. We arrived here on the last day of May after a tedious and fatigueing journey; I intended writing immediately after we arrived, but have been

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prevented from one cause or another, untill the present. I shall first attempt to give you a history of our toilsome journey to the west, I commence at Millersburg the day we left that we traveled 26 miles, staid in Mifflintown, the next day we traveled about 40 miles, staid in a small town called Millscrick, and the day after that which was friday we arrived in Hollydaysburg about 3 O clock in the afternoon, we staid with a cousin of the Dr the name of Calvin, from there we pushed on untill we arrived in Pittsburg, we staid there a day as Dr had some business there, from thence we traveled on untill we arrived in ohio amongst our friends, remained there 8 days, the time passed by pleasantly, visiting amongst the friends, I was very much pleased with the country and the people, we left there on tuesday the 23 of May and arrived in Indianopolis on friday following, we staid there untill Monday, staid at an acquaintanse of the Dr from Harrisburg, Indianopolis is a very handsome place, not quite as large as Harrisburg but fully as handsome I think, we left there on monday and pushed on untill we arrived at Independence Ills my new home, I am very well pleased with the country and tolerably with the town we reside in. It is very small hardly as large as Painterstown, but there is one consolation, there is no talebearing nor scandalizers, a person can live in peace, and you never hear anything but English, I have not heard a word of german since I have been here, althoug there are some germans settled around. The society is poor here, still the folks are very clever quite different from what they are in the east, several called to see me the day we arrived and wellcomed me to Pin Hook a nick name they have given the town.

The praries here are delightful, they are from 12 to 20 miles wide, and 150 long, instead of the timber surrounding them, they surround the timber, at this season they are most beautiful,

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The green grass has sprung up and covered the whole bosom of these wastes; with that grass there springs up a multitude of flowers of every hue, form, and scent, It is delightful to ride over this level land and every step, tramping those gems of nature underfoot. Their beutiful heads can be seen as far as the eye can reach waving in the summer wind. I think when we get to housekeeping I shall be delighted with this country, we have not got to housekeeping yet in consequence of not having our goods yet. As we passed through Terre-Haute comeing out we stopped and inquired about our boxes but were informed that they had not arrived yet, they had no boats come up the river for two weeks on account of the wabash river not being navigable, the Dr received a letter a few days agoe from Terre Haute and was informed that they had not arrived but that the wabash was in a faire navigable order at that time, he said he had understood that there was a great many goods stored at Evansville Indiana from different places, yet to come up the wabash and several boats looked for to come with goods, ours probable will be amongst them. The distance from here to Terre-Haute is 40 miles on the other side of the Wabash river from here, I hope we will get them, if we do not I expect to be as poor as holly shanks garden. I am almost tired boarding, though the people we board with are very clever and accommodating, I feel perfectly at home. The house we are going too live is but one story high, there is 3 rooms and a kitchen, quite a neat little house, the houses here are all only one story, principally log cabins in the country, The Dr has gone this day to Paris 18 miles from here the nearest stoers to get what things we need yet towards housekeeping, there are a great quantity of strawberrys here the largest and best I ever eat, I go out very frequently and gather them, ride horse-back, I preserve some, they are very nice, we

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have honey every meal the best kind and lots of cheese, venison, and every [thing] that is good. The provisions we took from Millersburg lasted till we got to Ohio, there we got a fresh supply which lasted out. we traveled at the rate of 15 hours every day and 18 days traveling. I am well, and enjoyed very good health since I left M. the dr is also in good health.

I feel anxious to see you all and like if some of you could come out here too see [us] I should be delighted and I know you would be pleased Doctor joins me in love to you all.

Give my love to Johns family and Josiahs, Uncel Crosson and tell cousin Mary that I intend writing too her as soon as I get to housekeeping. Give my love to all inquiring friends
from you affect daughter L Rutherford

Write soon and let me know how matters and things are going on in the east and at home, let me know whether emma has returned from the city.