Robert G. Wilson Letter to Joseph Irwin

              Athens Dec'r. 23d 1835 
Dear Children 
I have now been sometime in debt to you 
a letter.  My only excuse for this delay is the want of time. 
My duties in College are doubled or more, and my com 
pensation lessened: and I perform gratuitously the same 
duties to the congregation which I formerly did.  I have 
my living, and my benevolent labours will not be lost. 
By this time I suppose you consider yourselves at home; 
having accepted a call, and purchased a dwelling house 
Your house and lot I would think must be cheap, though 
I am ignorant of the value of property in that place.  If I 
am spared I hope it will be in my power to render you 
some aid in paying for it, how much I cannot now say. 
About the first of this month your Mother was taken with 
a spitting of blood, which continued ten days or more, and 
she supposed she threw up not less than a quart (the precise 
quantity cannot be asscertained).  The discharge is now entire 
ly abated, and except some debility, she is in her usual health 
What renders her case remarkable is that before it she had no 
cough or pain in the breast, nor does it appear thus far to 
be followed by any.  Such occurrences sometimes take place 
and pass away without any injurious effects, and this we hope 
will be the case in this instance.  But time alone can disclose to 
us shortsighted mortals, what God is about to do.  My own health 
much as formerly.  The rheumatism stiffens my joints and pains 
me a little at times, but has not hitherto confined me, or prevent 
ed me from attending to my duty.  Our town & vicinity has en- 
joyed general health -    Mrs (Wm) Walker of Ames and Mrs Col- 
lins of this place have lately died also a child of Arch'd Walker.