Brimscombe Mills
Near Stroud
Gloucestershire
June 5, 1867
My dear Br. Alexander

It seems very long since I heard from you. I don't know why I have so long delayed writing myself but I believe I have written to Walter twice since I wrote to you. So now for a little chat across the wide ocean with you.

I went to the Hackney Road in April. Our dear Father & Mother seem to have weathered the winter well & are not looking older or feebler than they were last year, but of course every year now tells upon them.

Since then we have had a marriage in our family, which is to me an especial cause for praise and thankfulness. Mary, the girl who has been such a trouble to me, is gone. Well and comfortably married to a farmer in Warwickshire. She will now have her own affairs to attend to & will I trust leave me in peace. We had grand doings at the wedding. Our girls threw flowers all along the garden & up the road for ½ a mile. The men fired cannon all day & as each carriage returned a volley & from all the windows of the mill handkerchiefs waved and cheers arose as we passed. We sat down to breakfast 30 in all & had a very happy time. The happy pair went off after breakfast to the Paris Exhibition where they stayed 3 weeks.

The Tuesday following we gave a tea to the work people - 250 - & many wives & children beside. I presided, of course. We gave ham, bread & butter, cake & a small piece of wedding cake each. My husband, son and myself - one of the workmen & a friend made speeches on the occasion! Don't laugh at my speechifying - that is no uncommon occurrence now. I am quite used to it. Ladies do these things in England now - so you Americans have not all the progress to yourselves! We had all our children at home for the occasion - the little girls were bridesmaids & very pretty they looked in their white & blue - indeed the two little ones excited every one's admiration. If I can get them taken well in their dresses I shall send you their Photographs - but white & blue don't take well.

Elijah is now out of his time & gets paid £50 per annum - not enough to keep him but very well for a beginner - In a year or two he will have to walk the Hospital & after that he can set up for himself. That is another source of joy to me.

My Walter leaves school this midsummer & is coming into the business so you see we are all advancing - as the young ones come on, we must decline. I begin now to get a glimpse of old age. In three years I shall be 50! can you believe it? I can't; yet so it is. Well, it does not fret me - my sun may set here but it will rise again in the glorious eternal morning where there shall be no more setting. I have a good hope in Jesus. Have you & has your dear wife? This is everything to us - other things pass away from us or we from them, but these hopes can never pass away & shall never fail us. I was much interested in the papers you sent Mamma - religious ones they were. I trust you & your wife are interested in the things of God - they are beyond everything else.

Uncle Daniel Holt has gone home rejoicing. He was a Christian many years. His last illness was apoplexy. He lay 38 hours insensible & when all other means had been tried his daughter whispered in his ear "How sweet the name of Jesus sounds". He opened his eyes and said "Jesus, Jesus" & died triumphantly - Ah none but Jesus can make us happy in death, nay more, we cannot be truly happy without Jesus in life.

Give my kind love to your wife. Are there no more little branches to the parent tree yet? Well, well, never mind. God knows what is best for you & for her. All unite in love.

Believe me, dear Alex,

Ever your loving sister,

A. Evans

Love to Walter, his wife & children. Tell him I want his photograph & hers to put in my album. I have yours. One of you sent me Lincoln. I want Davis to put opposite it.