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Ganado, Arizona
November 25, 1897

My own true loving little wife,

I finished the picture of a little Navajo papoose today. She had on a fine Navajo blanket.

I had the Chief of the Navajos engaged to sit for me. He went home to fix up and returned fixed up fine, except his head, and what do you think he had on? A late style plug hat with a feather stuck in it. I thought it was a joke and pretty soon asked him to take it off, which he wouldn’t do. He said I must paint him with it on. I told him I wouldn’t paint him at all if he wore it. He got mad and left, but this morning he showed up without the hat and commenced to sit for me. He (2) is painted up and fixed up in dance costume. This will make a very saleable picture.

Mr. Hubbell gave me today one of the finest old fashioned rugs, Navajo, I ever saw. One that he could sell easy for $50.00. It was a red blanket Butta (bayetta) red, which are rare and the figures black and white. He says he wants me to get a nice collection of rugs. He is surely doing his part. I have got 11 fine Navajo rugs now. I don’t know how many I will have before I leave here. He says he has got his eye on another one that an Indian has, he is going to buy for me.

In my spare time, I am making copies of the old rugs for him in water colors, so hereafter the Indians can use them to make old ones by. Mr. Hubbell gave me a pointer about getting my rugs from (3) the Moqui Indians. He says I can buy fine old ones for $2.00 each, but never appear anxious to buy of them. When I get to Moqui, he says, I can buy the finest pottery there for almost nothing. You ought to see a jar he bought for 5 cents from a Moqui here the other day. It was in the shape of a bird and decorated awfully artisticly.

Expect after I leave Moqui I will have a wagon load, but I will box all the things up, rugs and all, and put mothballs in the box . When I get to the railroad station I will ship to Sibley’s warehouse by freight. It is better to send the box there, as the building is fireproof. (4) Think of the truck (prestige) I will have, my dear, when I get back to Chicago, and how fine I can fix a studio up when I want to and I get the stuff so cheap. I can sell it if I want to at a big profit.

I am working on my 8th picture.

We had snow here last night, but it is pretty near gone now. We had a tough chicken for Thanksgiving.

Mr. Hubbell’s little boy here has a pug dog and today I painted the black on his face yellow and his nose red. I painted it with the Indian’s colors. He looked funny and how the Indians laughed. He just hates Indians and growls at them all the time. Mr. Hubbell has three or four Navajo kitties. He has a little square hole cut in the doors so they can go in and out. One of them comes to see me now & then & jumps up on my lap & sings. (5)

Every eve I build a fire out of logs in my room.

Mr. Hubbell has some elegant Lion, Tiger & Bear skins. I don’t dare ask him the price of them for as sure as I do he would give me one of each. He doesn’t want me to pay a cent for anything. He is an awfully kind hearted man. The Indians all like him. He has never been east of Albuquerque. He was born out in this country and it is awfully interesting to hear him relate old times in this country.

Well my dear, I will close now. Good night darling. Give my love to your folks. Your own true loving husband.

Lots of love, hugs & kisses,

Elbridge