Earlton Nov 19. [1882]

My Dearest sister Maggie I have been waiting patiently for the last three weeks to hear from you but I can wait no longer as I am very lonely  I take my pen in hand to write you of my little Doras death  she died on the 7^th of this month  I will now describe her sickness to you as well as I can  she had a little cough for some weeks but was not the least sick  she was remarkably well till Sabbath pervious to her death when we began to think she had whooping cough but not very bad  Monday morning she appeared a little sick but still we were not the least alarmed  Angus went away to his work  towards noon she appeared a little worse but still she would play with the children and laugh when I spoke to her  about dark she appeared a little restless  I sat down by the table with her on my knee  she played with a bottle and some buttons for about an hour  about 9 oclock she was very sick  Angus just got home from his work and turned right about and went for the Doctor  they got here before 12 oclock  about half an hour after the Doctor came she appeared terribly distressed and from that time till the next evening it would be vain for me to try to describe her suffering  she died in her papas arms about 3 oclock Tuesday  the Doctor stayed with us till about half an hour before she died  She was buried on Thursday the 9 of November  she was as fat as her skin could hold when I would look at her corpse  I would for a moment think she was sleeping but when I would put my hand on her cold form I knew it was death but I hope she is in the arms of our blessed redeemer for he has said suffer little children to come unto me for of such is the kingdom of heaven  Dear Maggie how I would like to sit down and have a long talk with you but I must content myself with writing you a few lines  her sickness was so short that she was dead before we got word over to fathers but Kattie H was at Davids she came up when ever she heard of it and was here about an hour before she died  I cannot tell you how much I miss her  when I go out I think I ought to hurry in before she will get hurt but when I come in no Dora is there  All the rest of the children has the whooping cough but A W he did not take it yet  Jennie Ann is very sick ever since Dora died  the Doctor was here this evening  he says she has bronchitis with the cough  we hope she will soon get better  Emma is just taking it  I feel very much afraid of her as she is not very strong  we have not put out the light a night for the last three weeks  write soon as I am longing to hear from you

Your loving sister Jessie

I will send you a little curl of Doras hair