Fayette Friday – Eugene B. Scofield, 9 March 1885

Letter transcription:

Dunreith Ind. March 5, 85

Dear Sister Lena;

Your kind letter was received some days ago and would have been answered ere this had I not been so busy. We are both enjoying good health this winter, Ettie makes her home at her Father’s; I have been out preaching every day, save four, this year. Ettie was with me some five weeks, and enjoyed herself very much.

Yes! we had a grand, good, meeting at Knightstown. After an absence of some four weeks, as I was here preaching and but five miles from there, I suddenly dropped in on them at their S. school

[page 2] yesterday and we had quite a joyful greeting. I preach for them next Lord’s Day.

We went from Knightstown to Summit on that cold, windy Tuesday. We had to drive over from K. to Dunreith to take the noon train. As the wind was from the west and to our back and we in a phaeton we did not get cold until when within a mile of here we came to a creek frozen over and impassable and compelled to turn about and face that forceful blizzard; we had not proceeded more than half a mile ere we concluded that to ride the mile and a half we had to go against the west wind [?] to freeze badly if not fatally, so we stopped at a Mr. Huddleson’s whose wife is a sister of Bro. Whitmere’s

[page 3] wife. I was not as cold as Ettie who had to thaw her fingers in icy-water to get anything like relief. After an half hour—good and warm—we resumed the uneven tenure of our way. The train at Newcastle from Connersville was some five hours belated and we had to wait from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. Thurs spending the coldest day of my recollection on a journey that might just as well have been postponed until a more pleasant day. Moral. “D’was better mine [?] you tont be too quick.”

After three days rest I went to Mechanicsburg. A little town 9 miles west of Summit–, I remained there three weeks having a splendid attendance and profound attention, two

[page 4] only were baptized. But we succeeded in organizing a little congregation composed of some of the best citizens of this county. Men and women of means and influence. They will proceed at once to build a church.

We are here just over Lord’s day, go to a schoolhouse half way between Summit and Newcastle this week.

I owe Ella a letter I think will write to her soon. I received on from Sherman. Kiss the babies for me. Give my love to all, would be glad to see all.

Lovingly Your Brother
Eugene

(write soon)