Leadville, Colorado
November 15, 1885
To Miss Bessie Piper
Your aunt, baby and Uncle Henry and also Fred are at Uncle Richard George Bray’s. Your Aunt got up to Leadville yesterday and left in a short time for Red Cliff. I was on my way to Leadville so you see I brought her back. I have no place for her to stop at Red Cliff unless I spend about five hundred dollars in furnishing a house. I don’t want to spend a cent here in fixing another. I will sell everything I have and then will have plenty of money to go into business of some kind where we can make a good living. It will take me about four weeks more yet before I can begin to ship mineral from Red Cliff. I understand from your Aunt you thought my last letter was a little too affectionate. I suppose I must be full of love and affection but will try to be more cool and very good in the future. I suppose your Aunt will stop here this week. I think you may look for her next Friday or Saturday. I must return to Red Cliff on Tuesday next. I must make my time count now I am here where I can strike good ore in the J Best then I will come down and see you and we will arrange matters so I can live in Denver. Then we will have a good time to make up for this miserable time. Mary Jane and John Burn are quite well and Joe is looking well and growing fast and so is little Johnny. He is going to school and looks like a little man. Oh Bess, you should see little Willie when I come over how he will try to get me. He won’t go to any one when I am around not even his mother. Oh Bess, he is the loveliest, sweetest, brightest, darling of a little boy you ever saw. It is no harm to praise a little boy, is it Bess? I won’t say any praise or kind words to the girls any more but little Willie is my bright eyed love. I dearly love the little fellow. He is going to look like his mother, so you see, they have a boy each. Fred is having a jollee good time. I will take him to Red Cliff with me and put him in the mine at hard labor. The weather is very beautiful. I hope you are all well and getting on all right. I hope little Harry will take good care of the Horse and help you in everything. I hope Ella and Matt is good. She wants papa all the time. You can write to your Aunt at 512 East 7th Street. If you write poor Uncle your letter will find me here at Red Cliff after Tuesday. Give my love to Ella, Matt and Harry. My regards to Mrs. Hume. I hope her health is good. Mary Jane and Burn send their love to you. I must conclude with kindest regards and best wishes. From your Uncle
H. Slockett