(seq. 34)

Battenville 2 Mo 26th 1838

Dear Children

The Pensla Courier
mailed by G P has been rcd this
evening under her Date of 21 Inst--
Danl R. has taken it to the house
I have not read the pencil writing
on its margins___ ______

I have now to announce to you the
death of your Grandfather Read who
Breathed his last at one oclock this
afternoon--he has been very gradually
failing during the last two weeks--
and for the last three or four days was
so far gone as to notice very little of
what what was passing--he had a very
singular dificulty in his breathing for about
ten days he would breath very loud
& hard for 1/2 a minute then remain
entirely still without breathing at all
for the same space of time--he continued
in the same way untill last night when
he commenced breathing all the while but
in a very laborious manner--we think
he has passed away without undergoing
a very great portion of pain for
notwithstanding his breathing was apar
rantly hard yet he did not complain
of its being so--but everything has seemed
to be comfortale in his mind & all
done right by every one who had any
thing to do about taking care of him
Aunt Avis Donnalds is now here