[Image at left: My hand holding this letter, in front of my iMac screen and keyboard]A letter to James Bryden, now safely landed in America, after a seasick twelve days crossing the Atlantic. Aunt dreams and chides, and laughs at Marion's anxious searching for news of his ship in the newspapers (apparently they didn't always get a newspaper--but when James was at sea, they got one "almost every day"). Aunt even jokes that maybe Marion Glencross won't want James for a husband, and he can come back to Scotland and to Sanquhar to help with the haying. The sending of a verbena plant is discussed, but Marion thinks it would be a "torment" to the folks who had to carry it to America.
This letter seems to be incomplete.
The Bogg
Thursday July 25th 1872
Dear Friend,
I received your very welcome letter on Monday and we was all very glad to see from it that you arrived all safe altho you got a heave going across Aunt always told us that you would be getting a heave after you went away for she dreamed about you so often but you had not a very long voyage when you got there in twelve days. I got a paper almost every day and I could never see the arrival of your boat and Aunt used to laugh and say his is sure to be at the bottom of the sea I am sure your ears might ring for many a time you have been talked about since you went away.
We was very glad to see from your letter that all friends was well when you landed and I know one that would be so glad to see you. We have had a visit of John Johnstone two or three times since you went away and Sarah is a fine strong healthy like girl I think she is very like her Mother in some ways she wants me to set her a verbena plant to take over to Marion she is sure she would be so proud over it. I could plant one with right good will but it would do nothing but torment them going across.
We are started our hay but it has been very wet weather as yet and Tam says if it does not dry up he will run off the field but I think he will not run away so quick Aunt bids me say that you are to come over and give us a hand to get our hay put up and brought into the stackyard now when you have seen Marion and Aunt says if she does not want you to come away and leave her again you are just to bring her with you and she can help to make hay along with you for Aunt is sure she would be the better of a smell of the Scotch hills. Aunt says when so many Scotchmen has come to see there old native country uncle John might come and see his friends to, she is just working as hard as she can now since the hay began she is just running about as hard as she can.
All our cows is better now and that is a good thing she can keep her mind easy over them. I have to tell you if you was here now you could get better swine curds as you got the last time you was here and she is sure she would give you as many as she could sup;
I am very glad you gto all the things safe and I hope they will please her now when you have got them there you must send me word when you write next and I have to tell you from Aunt that you are to mind and not forget what you said that you would write every month Aunt is sure you cannot think that to often
