RK-480

[circled] 57 Home, Friday, Feb. 26th '58

Dear Son -

Yours of 18th, to "Major," and enclosures for little boys & me, came yesterday - First, about money - There is more to be had, here, in the country. I have just got my rate for $50. at 60 days "discounted" by J. H. Burch &co. - Perhaps I might get $50. more, in some way, - and I may have some paid in soon. It is promised. But then a promise is nothing, in these days. At all counts, if you can do no better, I will try Burch again. Wish you had said you might need it two months ago, and I could have kept the $50. I paid Gary & Drusmore, and some paid hind men.

Have you asked Judson yet? Per=haps they may be able to keep you going. But at the worstet worst - let me know, and I will go into Chicago and see what I can do - Uncle Hiram has borrowed all the money in the country - of course I can get it in town, at "2 per cent per month", if not of Burch at 10/100 per year.

We I got 50 cents apiece for Martin skins, of the pedlers - I believe they were really worth more - But then [illegible] stores these, there, I never caught trapped a Martin within less than half to 3/4 of a mile of the clearing - the one we tried and caught was within 1/4 of a mile of a clearing - after the country got fairly settled the martins disappeared - or at least I caught no more - I know nothing of the apossum - never saw one wild - I never heard of a martin's burrowing One would scarce expect so good a climber to burrow - and if they had burrowed, I should have had them - My dog would have pointed out the burrows, and I should have dug them out cheap=er than trapping - I feel pretty certain that they did not burrow. Nor did I ever know a coon to burrow -

I know nothing, for certain, in regard to the nests of any of these animals - There were no squirrels and of course no squirrel nests in the early days when I trapped for the Martin -

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About the Pine Martin I can tell you but little - I used to trap them in winter with a dead-fall made of a long strait pole, for the fall, and a piece of same for bed - and a few of sticks driven into the ground -

I sometimes caught a dozen in a winter, in a circuit of 2 miles, over hills - I never saw but one of the bottom land - He was "treed" - I think he did not jump like a squirrel - I think we cut down the tree and the dog caught him - about the martins poking their heads from the holes and watching the hunter - I can not remember whether I saw it myself, or it was told me by some hunters - I think the latter is most likely - I never saw the Fishers, as I remember - and never heard of either the Martin or Fisher troubling the farm yard - Both are very shy I think - the martin certainly is - I never recollect seeing but the one alive

I once, during a light soft snow, in March I think, - there be perhaps earlier, struck an otter's trail, going from the head waters of our little stream to another - about 3 miles - The trail looked like that made by a broad, smoothe wooden sled runner - the animal's belly pressing down the snow.

My eye is still very painful, and I don't see well - Weather warmer, to-day, and yesterday the sun melted the snow in the road -

Mrs Cutting and Guy came out last evening and brought Alice - Charlie still in town. - and the Boyden also - Charlie does not seem to write much, but what I see of his, is pretty well written. Lawrence has gone to town for a load of lumber for packing boxes - We intend to use boxes, when we can, as cheaper than bundles. We have a good many inquiries - chiefly from new nurserymen - but very few orders. I fear the cash sales are like to be small - and the money due us hard to be got - But I still hope - Old Father

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