No 49 Cottage Home, Iowa, Thursday Eve, Nov 17th /64 Dearest Husband It is eleven days since I wrote to you, and I must begin with an apology for fear you may think your little wife is neglecting you but no, I know you wont think that, but indeed we have all been so busy here getting Libbie ready to go to Sioux City that there has been no room for anything else; Ellison came down last Saturday night, and couldn't stay longer than Tuesday morning; I fully intended to have written last Sunday but Ellison was here and there was so much talking that I could not well, and after that, all was hurry and bustle till Lib got started, and Emma and I went up with her to Desmoines; Wm Ellison took us all up, and Em and I took dinner with them at the Desmoines House; that consumed one day, and then yesterday Em and I did one of the largest washing we have had for many a day, and when night came as you would naturally suppose I was quite tired; and today I have been up to John Smocks to take that money to Lib Bradley, got home about five O'clock.  The roads are very bad snow and slush and ice and mud.  I fear that our winter has begun; the night before the Election it rained and sleeted all night, and
