To RH Milroy From Ella Milroy Dec 26 1863

              (you see Pa 
                                                             (how the children) 
                                                          (have bloted my paper) 


 
Rensselaer Ind       Dec. 26th 1863 


 
Dear Pa 


 
                  I received that beautifull picture 
you sent me and put it in my Album. 
I am not going to school now we are having 
vacation during the Hollidays we had a jolly 
time scating on Christmas day we had a scating 
party on the dam.  I scate on Vals scates some 
of the girls and woman have Ladies scates they 
are so nice to scate and I would like to have a 
pair but Ma says that I must waite untill she 
gets some money we hav had fine times 
scating between the gris Mill by the 
light of the Moon we had delightfull 
weather on Christmas day but before nite it 
had moderated so much that it thawed 
considerably.  Mr. H. Bruce called to 
see if we would like the next day to make 
a family visit to his house Saturday 
proved to be a wet disagreeable day but 
Mr. Bruce come with his little wagon we went out 
with him and had a plesant visit.  I am  
not taking music lessons now Ma thinks that