Harriet (McNeil) Pepple - May 20, 1866 - Toledo, OH

Toledo May 20th 1866

Dear Niece

I didnot think when I recieved your kind letter that I should wait till this time to answer but its hard to tell what we will do I have a large family and a goodeal of work to do I have Eight in family and I do my own work with what little help I get from the girls when they are out of school we have moved since I got your letter we are now living on Summit St in the bussiness part of the city we live up stairs over a store we have very pleasant rooms and quite a convenient house the rain water is brought up stairs by a pump an right beside of the pump is a basin to throw waste water and slops and a pipe to carry it off so that I have no trouble carrying water up or down stairs and we are near the shop to I dont have as pleasant a view from my window as I had over the river there I could see the river and the boats and now we cant see the river at all I would rather live in sight of the river Opposite our house is two Wholesale stores one a China and one a Hardware which makes it quite lively I wish you could be here and see us and where we live I know you would enjoy it very much I wish you would come and make us a visit it aint very far and I know you would have a nice time I expect Mother in two or three weeks to make us a visit I expect the noise will set her crazy its an awfull noisy place There is a Spiritualist preaching just across the street from us and he yells so loud we can hear him distinctly. I had a letter from Elenor last week she says the folks in Akron are all well We heard from Cousin Hellen a short time ago she has had her eyes operated on had the lids cut and made shorter and they wasent cut enough and she has to have it done again as soon as they are healed so they will hold the stitches she has a hard time with her eyes three of he children have had the whooping cough this winter so that she has had her hands full I suppose you are very happy since Oscar has come back safe I would like to come and see you all very much but dont expect to very soon it would do me lots of good to have a long talk with you all I havent [sic] heard from Hanna for some time did she go East? if not tell her I dont  think shes as good as she promised I must close give my love to your Mother and all the rest of the family and dont fail to write soon and excuse me for not writing before for I am so busy give my love to all inquiring friends Ella and Kate send love to all Mr Pepper wishes to be remembered to you all he has gone out riding this afternoon Angie dont board with us now its to far for her to walk she comes home Friday night and spends the Sabbath here she is well but kept very busy with her school She has over one hundred scholars and all little ones and it keeps her watching to keep them strait she gets very tired teaching she would have an assistant if there was room enough for one but she has no recitation room they talk of building this summer and then they will [Illegible] the school she sends love to all

Good bye

Your Aunt Harriet Pepper

240 Summit St Toledo Ohio