Elizabeth Wylie McCalla, Bloomington, Ind. To Andrew Wylie, Jr.

              Bloomington, April 7th '56 [sic, 1865], Dear brother, It has been almost a year, if not quite since your hurried visit of a day or two here. We expected to receive a letter from you on your return home, & have been on the look out for it ever since, but are pretty well convinced now that you do not intend to write that letter. Suppose you infer of us, as we do of you & yours, that affairs are about as usual. Last Fall we sold our Cot. & came down here to take care of Redick; we think an old back, not at all competent to take care of himself. Mr. McCalla boards with his sister, he comes down Sat. evening & remains with us till Monday morning. Redick has a substantial & convenient house & has been at considerable expense in furnishing & fitting it up. When he has finished his improvements about the premises, there will be no more desirable farm in this part of the country; the view up & down the valley is lovely at any time & now that nature is putting on her verdant robes, 'tis enough to enliven even a Hypochondriac. We all desire you & Carry with little Pendleton to make us a long visit this Summer. Redick sends you his love & a most cordial invitation. Think you might rusticate out here a while to your physical advantage. Our family consists of the Professor, Jane, myself, & Molly & the hired man Sam, a deserter from the Rebel Army, a good Union man always, but