San Francisco, March 22d, 1855.
Dear Agatha,
I am well. E. is as usual. I have been extreemly busy of late in opening a book store. I have a fine lot of books now open—the sign out, advertisements in circulars and in the papers both for book depot and meetings. All the world (that is to say, the San Francisco world) are amazed and greatly wondering where unto this thing will grow and what it can mean. Our preaching place is a fine hall over the Young Ladies High School, 40 by 30 feet. We meet in it for the first time next Sunday. We are selling some books, but the sheep are so wild, that they hardly dare venture to lick the salt.
My Dear Wifey, what with the goods I have sent and what I am a going to send, I hope enough can be spared to plaster the house. Go ahead—we get milinary goods cheep as durt here. Sell all you can. There are bonnets, ribbons of every kind, linings, prepared glue, foundations, lace, trimings, wires, threads, every thing in your trade in the greatest variety and abundance and so cheep you will marvel greatly and hardly believe your eyes—but you must have a good price. Dear Wifey, I dreamed of seeing you black in the face and dying. I cryed and wept the hardest I ever did since I was a child—but I awoke and it was a dream. You will not die, will you? Bless your heart, I have allways loved you with the very love of heaven.
Dear Wifey, I have not much time. I am so living in the store – this is the third day at noon since it was opened. I took 11 dollars the first day 12½ the second, and today I have taken 8, besides paying some debts with books. It keeps me talking and preaching.
Farewell till evening. I must go to prayer meeting now. I will pray for you—you blessed—and the little ones.
Six o’clock p.m. This days sale has been 10 dol. 50 in cash, and five and a half credit to a rich woman, making 16 dol. in all. Enough on business.
As to coming home it is all up with me about this spring. I hope to [page break] come in the fall.
Your last letter, dated Jan. 31 was good and comforting to me but it hurt me much to learn how sick you had been. You must have suffered many a day, and dreary night. O that I could have been there to comfort and assist you. But I could not – never mind we will make up for it all one of these days.
Lots o “Besitos” for Aga and Lone, and Moroni W.
I am in good spirits,
farewell.
P. P. Pratt
[transcribed by Walt Morrell, Mauri Pratt, and Suzanne Taysom, Feb. 2014]
P. P. Pratt to Agatha [Agatha Ann Walker Pratt], transcribed letter, 22 March 1855; MS 278, online images, Church History Catalog, Ann Agatha W. Pratt Reminiscences and Letters, 1847-1907 (https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE2090355&usedforsort=MS_278_f0001 : January 2014), file 1, document 15, page 1-2; Church History Library, Salt Lake City.