This is an original letter in pencil (no envelope) as follows:

Vandalia, Ill

April 7 1940

Dear Cousin

Rec'd your ever welcome letter am always glad to hear from you.  I have had a bad cold most all winter but am feeling better now.  hope you are all well.  I ahve been over here to Edd and Gertie's two weeks I haven't heard from home since I have been over here but I guess the rest are all well as far as I know.  There has been lots of sickness and deaths around here this winter some of them had flu and Pneumonia.  One of Mary Murphys son in laws was sick they started to the hospital with him and had a car wreck in a block of the hospital hurt him so bad he died and one of mary Murphys great grandchildren died this winter.  I guess you have made garden.  some few have made garden here and planted potatoes here.  We are having another cool spell here and is raining some today.  I think of all of you folks lots of times and would like to see you all, but I expect if I were to see you all, you will have to come here.  Who did Pheobe write too out here?  None of my family didn't get a letter from her.  The big snow come here the 23rd of Dec. and stayed on until the last of Feb.  It was the coldest winter here that we have had for a long time the coldest morning it was 14 below zero. I never quilted a double wedding ring quilt I don't know how it would look best.  The last I hear from the folks in Iowa Rich had lost sight of one eye and the other one was awful bad but they thought maybe he would be able to see out of it.  I haven't been to church very much this winter it was so bad all time.  I went to Mrs. Hoover's funeral on a Saturday and to Mrs. Henry Pope's funeral on Monday that was in Feb. eggs are 13 cents per doz. here now.  Tell Frankie I think of them often but I can't write to so many for I can't write myself and I expect to hear from all of them when you write to me.  We would be glad to have any of you folks that can to come and see us.  Will close answer when you can.  From Mrs. T.B. Blankenship. 

I will send you this little star quilt block to show you what I am piecing now.  I am piecing 2 quilts like this for Gertie while I am over here.  We are joining the blocks together with plain rose color.  The blue in this block is like my bonnet that Gertie made and gave me.

The item is in good condition.

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