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Sharon Sept 20 1835Dear Sister

I received your friendly letter and was sorry to hear that you had been sick again but was glad to that you had got your health again I would inform you that my health is as good as it usually is I would inform you that Brother Zebina and family were well the last that I heard from them which was about the middle of last July when I was at his house I do not get time to go and see them verry often and he has not been to Sharon to see me but twice since I have lived here and then he had some other business or I do not think he would have come I heard from Brother Shepard about a fortnight ago Mr Burbanks was at Worcester and see him he was well at that time you wrote to me that you and Lydia should like to come down this [fall] and see us and if I rightly understood you that Lydia would be glad to stay and that you wanted me to go home with you I should be verry glad to have you come but I could not go back with you for they could not spare me for they have got a fresh hand in the mill and he knows nothing about the business and until he was leart they would not spare me

I am a going to zebinas in the course of a fortnight & will see him & see if he is not a mind to go up & see Clarks farm & buy it & if he is a going up perhaps he will go so as to come down with you or go back again with you & if he will not go I will send you some money as soon as I have seen him I should have sent Lydia some money before now if I could have got it but I expect some now soon & will send some to her I wish you would come & spend the winter here with me if you felt disposed I could get you a chance to work in the mill & the work is not hard & after the first four weeks you could have five shillings per week & the first 4 shillings & if you will come write to me & I will see that you have some way to come down I wish you to tell Clark & Susan that I will do as they have offered respecting mother & be obliged to them into the bargain & I wish them to write to me when they are willing to take Mother & I will send them some money for her use if you will come down I will go up with you the last of sleighing and leave you if you wish give my love to Mother & Lydia likewise to Clark & Susan & all other enquiring friends I have no news to write to you so I must draw to a close by subscribing myself

your loving brotherLemuel Colton

I wish you to answer this immediately

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Ruth ColtonJohnsonVtSharon VtSept. 22