This transcription was created by the Harvard-Diggins Library
from original document held by MHS (#SC 1274)

( ) Original page numbers
Edited for readability

Crow Agency, Montana
July 29, 1897

My own true loving little wife,

Yours received and glad to hear from you. I left St. Xavier yesterday. I couldn’t stand the eating, so unhealthy, so much canned things, very seldom any vegetables. But I had two square meals before I left. A body of 7 people, 3 ladies and 4 gents, camped there one night on their way to the mountains for a week, 20 miles from St. Xavier, and for supper Mr. Campbell let them come into the house and cook their supper. I tell you we had a fine supper of beans and fresh vegetables. (2) How Mr. Campbell and I did eat. Then they cooked a fine breakfast. Those two meals spoiled me, so I came here were I could get some more just like it. I couldn’t get any washing done, only by sending it 25 miles, nor shaved or hair cut, and I looked like a wild man when came here. I will be here a long time as there are so many noted Indians living here and all have fine costumes. I have twelve on the list to paint. Tomorrow commence with Chief Bear’s Claw. I have a fine place to board and a nice place to work in. All the people are just as nice as they can be to me. Uncle Ed hasn’t sent me any money yet and I will need it in a few days. It costs me $100.00 a month to paint these Indians. I have to pay them $2.00 a day for eight hours work (3) which is $60.00 a month and the rest goes for board and a hundred little expenses, and some months can’t make it on a $100.00 when I have traveling to do. But it will pay me big in the end. So far I have finished 13 pictures which are worth, and I will sell for, $2,450.00 and in the next six weeks will paint at least 20 more. The people here are awfully enthusiastic over my pictures. They said they were the first Indian pictures they ever saw that they would care to buy. I have got me some neglize? shirts. The Indians here have got a name for me, I will find out soon what it is. A fat man here, they, the Indians, call him Two-Belly. Another man they call Seven-Cows. There is an Indian here by the name of Afraid-of-His-Bottom. Tell Lizzie if she is getting fat (4) and would come out here, the Indians would call her “Two-belly”. Well my dear must close and go to bed. Goodnight darling.

Your own true loving husband,

Elbridge

P.S. You can address to Crow Agency, Montana. The Art Amateur in New York had a nice article about my Ft. Sill Indians and about Uncle Ed. Also, I wish you would look in July St. Nicholas my dear and see if my darkey picture has come out and also in July Art Interchange and see if the article has come out about my Indians. If so, get them and send them to me.