Hopkins Creek July Wensday 16th 1851
	California gold reigons nothern mines
Thomas I will rite you afew lines in anser to some
that you have sent to me and for which I thank
you for verey kindley letters from my Children or any
of my friends are always recived with joy. I take
grate pleasure in reading them over and over 
again and again and yet thay always seem new
and interesting but you cant expect me
to rite you much at this time for it is with
dificulty that I can rite at all as I have ben
riteing for 2 or 3 days as much as I could stand
to rite. I am Seated on the ground with a
small peice of board on my lap which I
am riteing on and I cant sit long at a time
with out geting verey tyred. I hardley no what
to rite to you. I have riten all to Laura and Emily
but I will try and scratch up something that
may interest you a little per haps I will commence
at Gold Hill whare whare I winterd last winter.
I rote five or six letters whilest I was there
all for my Children. The last I rote was the
first of Febuary sent it by one Mr Jones that was
going home from California. Paid him five dollars
to stop and leave it with Laura which he
a gread to do and I sepose you have got it long
before this time if you havent you never will.
I sent one at the same time for your uncle  mC
					Intire
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I have first had to stop riteing to make some gruel
for a sick man I worked on gold hill all winter
with Mr Eaton and Capt barker from vermont
all tho Barker was Sick most all winter not
able to work Mr Eaton and my Self threw
up dirt thinking every day to have wather to
work with but wee ware saddly disepointed
for wee had no wather to work with-onley 
four days the 6 or 7 of febuary wee left gold
hill and all our dust which would or paid us
ten dollars per day each and Started for Nelsons
Creek had a pity hard time giting there landed
on Nelsons Creek the 17th of febuary Cold
wether came on Son after wee got there
and Snow fel 3 or 4 feet deap So wee dident
earn much more then anough to pay our board
for a long time Provisons of all kinds was
verey high it cost us 4 dollars each to live
but wee have got throw it now but mis
fortune and bad luck seames to folow me
whare ever I go in consequence of brakeing my
leg which I did on the 24th of April it has
cost me Some 2 hundred dollars and I shall
loose three or four months the best of the
Season for mineing in the nothern mines
which will make it reather hard for me
this Season I have bot a clame on hopkins
Creek for which I paid one hundred and
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twenty five dollars down Mr Eaton Mr 
Gouch Mr Stevens bot with me 
and paid the same that I did wee are 
to work to gether Stop a moment 
Mr. Gouch wanted I should pay him twenty 
dollars for wateing on me when I couldent
waite on my Self and he has had to leave 
our companey he Sold his Clame for 75 dollars
I hire a man to work my part and pay him
6 dollars per day I hope I Shall Soon be able
to work my Self then I Shall Save what I
now have to pay out it costs me about a dollar
a day to live my leg gaines some and my
Sperits are verey good most of the time it is
quite Sickley here now a young man by the 
name of gipson from Manchester died this
after noon had ben sick a long time 
There was a Grisley bare enterd a Shantey afew
days a goe took down a peice of beef that hung
up there was but one man in the Shantey
he sprung Got hold of the beef the Grisley took
puled the man puled but the bare was to
Stout for him draged the man Some fifteen
rods the man was glad to give up beat and
retreat there was aman Stold ninety dollars
yesturday had his trial before judge linch was 
found gilty recived thirty nine lashes on 
his bare back and leave the Creek in fifteen minutes
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or be Shot That is the way rages have to
take it here Thomas you must help
Emily Some let her have some money
when I cume home I will pay you
be a good boy and dont worey about
me I will git along well enough
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(middle across)
Mr Thomas C Cheney
Manchester
New Hampshire
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rite often I should like to rite
you a much longer letter if I
felt able but you will excuse
me this time this from your
father
		Lyman Cheney