Letter from Fanny Cook to Catherine Munday, 3 November 1875

by Fanny Cook

Corner of Abbotsford and Auden Streets,
Hotham
Melbourne

Nov 3 1875

My Dear Mrs Munday

I trust this will find you and yours quite well I have been trying to nerve myself to write to you for some time past but could not do so but now that James has returned and he being in very bad health wished me to write for him I need not say how glad I was to see his face once more it is nearly 3 years since he left Melbourne and 2 since dear Alice left we little thought how sad the return would be but it has pleased God to take our beloved one we (illegible text) to the home prechased for those that love him

James has felt the blow very much and has not been well for some time since coming home he as been suffering from a complication of (illegible text). Doctor Motherwell has been attending him for congestion of the lungs and liver he is considered very clever for those complaints he thinks there is an improvement only he is so very weak and nervous that I am afraid it will be some time before he gets strong again

God helping me I will do the same by him as if he were my own son for I can assure you my dear Mrs Munday that Mr Cook Tom and self are very much attached to him and we pray that God will restore him to perfect health again I am sure that your heart must yearn to see him once more. I felt (illegible text) though I could not rest till I saw and spoke to him again. I thank God for bringing him back although he is sadly altered. James sends his kindest love to all he says he only got 1 letter from John the others have been sent on to Freemantle but will be returned back to Melbourne and he hopes by the next out going mail to have them to answer and be able to write you a long and cheerful letter and I know how glad you will be to get it by my own feelings it is very rough weather just now and it affects James very much but I hope we shall have it more settled soon and be able to get him out for a drive to the beach the fresh air will do him more good than all the medicine we can give him we can only do our best and ask our Father to bless the (illegible text) to say thy will be done with all our hearts with kind regards to Mr Munday and yourself from Mr Cook and self believe me yours truly

Fanny Cook

Nov 5 James is no better before this morning