Sept. 17th
Knoxville, Tenn.

My dear daughters and sons,

I will drop you a few lines by Mr. Brown.

I can't say that I'm well for I have the chills every other day. I
never took any medicine until Yesterday. My last chill was so light that I
hardly knew I had one.  I am now going to take care of myself until I get
well. I can control myself in everything unless it is in my eating. I am
hungry all of the time.  I weigh 8 lbs more now than I did when I left home.

I will not write much now for Mr. Brown can tell you all of the
particulars. This is to Florentine and John and the next letter I write
will be to your mother and Martha. John, I want you and Florentine to be
good children and not run abut too much. Work good and mind your mother and
Uncle Hugh and do what they tell you.  Be sure and don't forget wht I told
you before I left.

Tell F. A. Harton [sic. probably Franklin A. Morton] I wish he
could get on some Sunday morning & come over here and take dinner with us.
I am going to have bacon &
cabbage & various other nice nacks for dinner. Frank, I think if I stay
here 12 months I will be as fat as you are.

I want you all to write to me.

Manurva, if Mr. Brown comes back I want you to make Bob [Robert A.
Morton] and me one every day shirt apeice and send it by him to us. Tell
Hugh [High C. Aston] to send 2 of the knit shirts and charge one of them to
Bob and the other to D. D. Menninn.

We have not gotten a letter from any of you since we left home.

Manurva, I would like to see you and the children mighty well not.

Your friend truly

A. M. Aston