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You owe it to yourself to make some estimate of the amount you have expended for taxes and retain the same. What disposition would you make of the remainder? Does Mother hold simply a third, and is the rest to be divided equally among the heirs?
Am so busy during the day that I can find no time whatever for writing, and at night I am generally very tired so that I can usually write no more than is absolutely necessary.
I shall try however to send you some specimens in a short time, for what they call "spring" has come here too, though with so [Page Break] changed a [?] that I scarcely recognize her. The temperature has sent the mercury up to 90º quite frequently of late and I apprehend that very hot weather must soon follow.
Several varieties of the cactus family are now in bloom, and the other throny and prickly plants — for almost every plant that grows in this desert land has a pricker on it, or has a sharp point and so is one itself — are beginning to show signs of life, though I can't see how they can, growing, as many of them do, on the dry hills on which no rain has fallen for many months, and on which the sun has [?]
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shining fiercely almost all the meantime. Yet they do manage to bring forth fruit in their season, and I'll send you some of it.
When you read in the newspapers that bloody battles sometimes occur there and that many are killed have no fear for me, for I am "not of [them,?] the [?] eaters of flesh."
Love to all. Remember me to the "boys". I wish they could see some of these funny little horned toads, and swifts.
Write some. Your Aff. Bro. H. W. Bessey.
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US POSTAL CARD.
U.S. POSTAGE
ONE CENT.
WRITE THE ADDRESS ON THIS SIDE - THE MESSAGE ON THE OTHER.
Prof. C. E. Bessey
Ames
Iowa
Story Co.
574
El Paso, Texas 21st 81.
Dear [Bes?]:
I send you today – in an old [?] a few specimens of flowers. [I?] am very sorry they are not more and that I cannot put them up in better [style?], but I must either send them the way or throw them away, as I have no time to arrange them. Today I leave El Paso for the [West?]. Hence my haste. I have matched up these few specimens during the hours I perhaps ought to have rested – so continuously and hard has been my work here, and though I have been here many months yet I positively have not had time of my own – even on Sundays to do this little work of love which you so much desire of me. I am recovered from my late illness and will [soon?] be on the way toward Arizona.
Love to all, [H. N. B.???]
El Paso, [?] [Texas?] [P.?] [?]
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El Paso. July 6th 1881.
My Dear Brother:
I have just time to write you a short note before starting out on another trip with the engineers. Your last was [?] and [read?] with great pleasure for I was anxious to hear from you once more before leaving here.
I have no use for more money than I have with me so of course I do as the rest of you have agreed to concerning the proceeds of the sale of Mich. land. The deed reached Mother safe and [?] this I trust