but I dislike Mrs. W so much that I thought I should not take much pleasure in going; Austin will keep you posted on the farm affairs.  My health is very good, I have a walk of 1 1/4 miles morning and evening, but I don't mind it at all, I don't think there is any family in the district as far as I have seen that you would like to have me board with, and as long as I see nothing out of the way in my host I think I shall continue to board there.  I pay a dol a week, and I shall help Mrs. R some with her sewing so that my cash expense will be very little.  Mr. R preaches every month at Iowa Center and Sunday is his day to preach and Mrs R and I are going along; it is about 18 miles.  Last Saturday afternoon I went fishing, Mrs. Reicheneker and Tarbells all sent in Mr. Tarbells wagon, we went up to Kuhn dam we passed the place where the 6th cavalry camped on Walnut.  I remember you said that you eat your dinners there the day that you got home from Pikes Peak; we had a lively time, but didn't catch any fish.  The season is very dry, we have not had any rain to amount to anything for two months, the ground is not as dry as you would suppose, the spring wheat come up pretty well, and the winter wheat looks beautifully, but every thing needs rain now, it threatens and we think it will surely rain this time, but it passes off and is as clear as ever.  There was no letter for me yesterday, and I had no opportunity to send to the P. O. today, but Mr. R is going up to Desmoines tomorrow, when I expect to get a letter and I hope good news from our armies.  O I do hope that our Generals will push the rebels just as fast as they can so that if possible the war may close befor it gets so warm and sickly! as you said after the waters of the Mississippi recede we may expect a good deal of sickness; you have always been so healthy that I fear if you should
