This transcription was created by the Harvard-Diggins Library
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Keams Canon, Arizona
Jan 6, 1898

My own true loving little wife,

Received two letters from you, also the pocket book, am much obliged. I wish you would send the calendar. I wrote that I didn’t want the standard but just the tab that goes on top of it, as I have the standard packed away. Wish now I had sent to a stationery store for it, as would have had it long ago.

Received a letter from Mr. Hubbell stating he had got the present for Roman. Did you send Mrs. Hubbell’s in same mail? When you send any thing like that (2) it ought to be registered.

I wrote Thurber to send you $24.92, $20.00 for you for what Xmas cost you & $4.92 for your mother. Also had $2.50 sent to my father. My dear, I wish you wouldn’t try and collect the money from Mr. Mulligan again. He will pay when he can, and besides I told him he could take his time as he has a hard time of it and is a nice square fellow.

The German went away yesterday and came back tonight with a Moqui kitten. He brought it in a bag. I have been hugging it, which it liked and it sang as loud as it could. He says he doesn’t like the smell of these Moqui kids, and says after that ceremony he was covered all over with (3) feathers and had a hard time to get them off.

Tomorrow I will have the second Snake Dancer picture finished and it is the queerest picture I ever painted and the next day I'll start another Snake Dancer, but altogether different. These Indians think I am a great man. They will look at the pictures for hours if I would let them. The Art Amateur sent me the January number and it has more than two full pages about me, and 5 of the Indians are illustrated. It is the finest article ever written about me. Be sure and get one. It would be nice to send one to Alfred.

Mr. Keams was here to see me today he is such a fine man (4) and so interested in me. He wants me to rest a few days and come and visit him. He is a great friend of Uncle Ed’s. He speaks fluent Moqui, Navajo, & Spanish.

The Moqui had another ceremony last night and all day today. I had a good notion to go up alone last night, but didn’t like to as didn’t know what dance they would have down in the keva. In some of these ceremonies they have great big artificial snakes and a Moqui gets inside and they crawl around down there. But they are the most harmless Indians you ever saw. They never fought either white, Mexican, or Indian, were always reasonable. And they have stored away in their houses, all the time, enough corn to last two years. (5) They card(? cord) it up like wood and they have more than 200 different kinds of things to eat which they grow and make. They make things out of muskmelon rinds to eat.

I don’t let any more Indians in my room except when I am painting and a near relative of him as they hang around so much & bother me.

Mr. Hubbell wanted me to thank you for sending the Xmas present. About the only noise I hear at night is the coyotes yelling which doesn’t sound nice, but I must close. Good night, Darling. Your own true loving husband.

Lots of love, hugs & kisses,

Elbridge