On Board Ship - Honolulu - Jan. 18th, 1858

With the ability of reading the thoughts of today's servicemen through their blogs, today I'll present a picture of the past. This is a transcription of a letter written to my great-grandfather (who was eight years old) by his older brother.

Dear Brother Frankey,

I do love you so much that I could not let this mail go off without carrying a letter for you. I know that you would like to receive one from me because I know that you love me, and I am extremely obliged to you for answering the letter that I sent you from Rio De Janiero. I was much pleased to see that you wrote so good a hand and also to learn that you was at the head of your class, and more so to hear that you were enjoying good health. I wish dear Frankey that I was at home so as to take you out to ride with old Morgan and have a fine sleigh ride the same as we used to have last winter but I am a great many miles from you but I hope to be with you again before many month. I do not think I can write a very long or interesting letter this time, but I shall endeavor to write a long one to send to you by the next mail. The little boys and girls are quite different from the Brazilians, here they go round with scarcely any clothing on. They are a little darker than the people of Brazil. They always in swimming. I have see little boys not a bit bigger than you jump off the jib boom of a large ship into the water and also women and little girls about a little as Sis jump off of very high places, it is quite amusing to see them. I hope that you all will have good health while I am afraid that I shall not be home time enough to get any early fruit or to enjoy the 17th and 18th with you. I was very glad to here that you had a good sabath school teacher and that you went every Sunday. Give my love to all the folks around great and small and tell them that I want to see them all very much. Tell Mrs. Goodnow that I shall write here a letter while I am here, tell her that I think a great deal of her because she was always so kind to me, give my love to Freddy and Sis and tell them that I want to see them very much, give my thanks for William and tell him to write me another letter for you that is if you cannot write one your self and now dear Frankey hoping that you will be a good boy and help our dear mother, I close remaining your most aff. Brother