Brimscombe Mills
Near Stroud
Gloucestershire
May 14, 1866
My dear Alexander

I received a letter from Walter this morning telling me of his intention to remove to Mexico but not a word about you. It made me turn out your last letter to see how long it is since I heard from you. Positively more than two years so I determined to write at once. "Delays are dangerous." I have been delaying all this time till I am quite ashamed of myself.

How are you and your wife? Is there anyone else yet to inquire about? I fear not or I should have heard. Shall you go to Mexico too? or what will you do? It will be a pity to separate from each other but of course if you are still doing well it would be a needless risk to remove.

We are all going on much as usual. My Husband is well and prospering in business. My children are growing up fast into young men & women. Elijah is quite a young man tho' but 17 years old. He is keeping steadily to his profession & bids fair to make a good Dentist. I have now a lower set of his making - made well & fitting exactly. You must not think I have no lower teeth in my lower jaw - but having lost some this set is to supply the place of the lost as the vacant places interfered with my speech. He comes home once a month - is full of life & vivacity & a favourite with all. I think I have sent you his last Photograph. The young man is rather inclined to be aristocratic in his notions & would not like American equality at all - but I don't object to that, as I have always found it best to keep up & not be looking down. I don't know how it is in the States but here the lower classes are lower in every sense. If any one be found superior in any way he does not long remain with the lower classes but speedily raises himself higher. This brother Walter does not believe. He seems to think we are a set of poor, starving bachelors or hard worked spinsters that men can’t marry here thro' want. I don't know where the bachelors are, I'm sure except among the higher classes whose notions are too great to let them marry unless they can drop in with an heiress.

My eldest daughter Annie is as tall as myself. She is only 12 years old tho', & is at school at Cleveden on the Bristol Channel. She promises to be a very fine & nice looking girl. She plays well on the piano & is very good at French. Walter is not so tall as his sister tho' elder but he has begun to grow lately so I expect he will soon top her. He is a great book worm & a great politician but withal a very quiet boy. Never plays except at cricket at which he is a famous hand. Always head of the school at arithmetic & very good at many other studies. He will leave school soon & come into the counting house. Arthur & Teddy are growing great boys - both at school. Arthur is a handsome fellow & also first rate at arithmetic. Teddy is a decided Murray. I shall get their likenesses taken & send to you one day soon. Bessie & Maggie, my two little ones, are all we have at home. They are both ill with the whooping cough. When well they are the sunshine of the house and even now they are not very depressed. I think I have sent you their likenesses. If not let me know & you shall have them.

My elder daughters are still unmarried but I believe I shall shortly have to tell you that they have doubled themselves. Both are engaged & I hope the marriage will come off at midsummer. Phil takes an active part in the business & could carry it on without his Father. I should so like to introduce you to them all, but that seems a very distant hope. Well I hope we shall meet in a better world if not here. Time is passing on & carrying us all nearly to the eternal world day by day.

I hope you & your wife can look forward without fear & with a firm confidence in the death & merit of the blessed Lord Jesus to a time of certain reunion when there will be no death - no separation - no disappointment but everlasting joy & peace. The bright hopes I have thro' Jesus seem to grow brighter every day. I would not be without them for all the world. They are worth more to me than all I have besides. They cheer me when sorrowful & add to my joy when happy. I am sure in my inmost soul there is nothing so consolatory, so stable, & certain as the knowledge that we are children of God by faith in Jesus. Amid the changes of life we need a refuge & a Friend in jesus we have both. A "friend that sticketh closer than a brother" & a refuge that never fails.

I enclose a tract I have written on the peculiar story of your family. It is fully in accordance with facts. Your nephews & nieces send their love to you. My husband is in London so cannot. I did think of going to London tomorrow but Maggie is so poorly with whooping cough I must wait a week or two. I make a point of going once a year to see the old folks. I shall write & tell you how I find them.

Give my love to your wife.

Believe me dear Alex

Your affectionate sister

Anne Evans