Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 9 (1894)

Lt 124, 1894

White, J. E.; White, Emma

December 20, 1894

Portions of this letter are published in 3MR 409; 4Bio 178, 181.

Dear Children:

Mrs. Wessels, Philip Wessels’ mother, her two boys—one twelve, the other sixteen years old—Brother Harmon Lindsay, Charley Lindsay’s son Harmon, and wife and little child of four months, are our guests. Harmon’s wife is a daughter of Sister Wessels. We want to treat them as hospitably as possible, for they are wearied from the long ocean trip. They are very social and enjoy company very much. They intend to visit New Zealand, Tasmania, and the school grounds, and in one month pass on to their destination, California and Battle Creek. Richard Anthony married a Wessels, a granddaughter, I think of Mother Wessels. 9LtMs, Lt 124, 1894, par. 1

Well, we are now in the midst of fruit canning. We have canned one hundred quarts of peaches and have a case more to can. Emily and I rode out five miles in the country and ordered twelve cases of peaches, one dollar a case. A case holds about one bushel. The ones we canned are the strawberry peach, called the day peach here. It is highly colored red, of soft flesh, a clingstone. The twelve cases that come Monday are white slipstone, but soft flesh and very juicy and good flavor. The first crop is nearly all gone. We are told by the owners of orchards that the best peaches for canning will be along in about two weeks, the large yellow slip-stone. We did not get here from Melbourne to Granville until the first peaches were gone and the apricots were gone, and we could only pick up odds and ends, jots and tittles, to make out our fruit supply until fruit should come again. We are now favorably situated. Emily has canned fifty-six quarts today of apricots, and we have twelve cases yet to can. We did have such a dearth of anything in the line of fruit desirable that we are putting in a good supply. 9LtMs, Lt 124, 1894, par. 2

Byron and Sarah have hired a house not far from us, and we will have them do our canning after this week. Today is Friday. We paid for our twelve cases of apricots, one shilling and sixpense a case, while we paid three shillings for the six cases we had purchased. The apricots are small, deep orange, and of very rich flavor. Because of the dry weather they are not nearly as large as usual. We had about one bushel on our own trees. We have several trees of nectarines and of peaches. I would so much enjoy to donate to your company a case of these nice peaches and apricots. I suppose you have all such fruits. We are drying apricots as fast we we can. The apricots will be gone next week. We shall get all we can for the school. Byron is at market today to see if the fruit can be bought better than at the orchards. It will be a very busy time with us now for several weeks. I am glad that I can present the party from Africa plenty of fruit, and plenty of good vegetables fresh from the gardens. 9LtMs, Lt 124, 1894, par. 3

I should enjoy much a visit from you, my children, and from your companions. 9LtMs, Lt 124, 1894, par. 4

You ask me a question in reference to your appropriating $100 as your share in the floating (sailing) chapel Morning Star. You may invest that $100 as you propose, and you may count on me for a Christmas present of $100. It will come rather late, but it will come to be used in your missionary work in the South, or to meet your necessities. I will send my orders to this effect. We feel deeply anxious that you should go to your field of labor with a large endowment of the Holy Spirit of God, which will be worth to you more than gold and silver and precious stones. The Lord is our dependence and trust at all times. In Him we may have unlimited faith and perfect confidence. He is our only hope in time of trial. 9LtMs, Lt 124, 1894, par. 5

Mother.