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Wish you all a Happy New Year

Keams Canon, Arizona
Sunday Dec 26, 1897

My own true loving little wife,

I received a letter from you yesterday, received the handkerchiefs all right and am much obliged for them. they are nice. Haven’t received the other thing as yet. Wish you would send the calendar & pocket book to me here as I may be here 2 months. Mr. Mulligan is mistaken about the charges on the furniture. However, rather than to have any trouble about it, he can deduct the charges. He is a nice honest fellow and I am willing for him to take his time in paying for the things. He doesn’t make much and I feel sorry for him. The picture of the kitties is nice. The Indians like to look at it. I had a quiet (2) Xmas I was here all alone except the Indians. The German had gone to Keams Canyon 11 miles from here. Mr. Keams invited me to Xmas dinner but I couldn’t spare the time, so two Indians and I had a Xmas Dinner.

I never was in a place where I am with the Indians so much. They are awfully nice to me and like to be around me. When the German is away I always have one or two Indians eat with me and help wash the dishes. They are good cooks, make fine bread (I mean the men) & biscuits. Then at night they come looking in my room & smoke and talk & laugh. They call Xmas "Kismas".

The chief of the ceremony, I saw last Monday night, is so afraid I will tell what I saw to the other Indians that he has cautioned me (3) several times. He says if any of the Indians, who do not belong to the order, should know what they did, all those who took part in it would get sick. He is going to sit for me I have 17 pictures finished now. I wish you could see the last one I have painted, Tottie, you would fall in love with it. It is a little Moqui girl 14 years old. Her name is Dahl-ee. She has her hair done up so funny and she looks exactly like a pretty little Japanese girl and she has such a pretty Moqui blanket on, and great big square ear rings 2 inches square, all in laid with bluish green turquoise stones.

Tomorrow a little bit of a thing comes to sit for me. She is about as tall as you and as fat as a pig. She has her hair done up like the unmarried one’s. And I am going to paint her with one (4) of those funny figures (Kachina) that represents a god in her hand. Then I have got a Moqui man engaged to sit holding one of those horrid looking false faces in his hand. He is going to get the one that is in the photo I sent you. The fellow in the center with the big eyes, etc. These little figures they make are like those. Two snake dancers have promised to sit also.

This afternoon I went up on top of the Mesa and took a lot of photos some of naked children. I had a lot of fun, and I had some candy with me. I received a letter from Uncle Ed. He says a friend of his wants a picture of Geronimo, the larger size, and will give me $200.00 for it. So I will paint it. (5)

Received a long letter from Gi-Aum-E in which she sends her best regards to you. She is helping in a school at Anadarko 38 miles from Ft. Sill. She says she gets $10.00 a month & she says, "Oh, how I do like this place." She also says one day they brought a little Indian late in the school (and they always give them a white persons name so it will be easier to pronounce it). Gi-Aum-e says they asked her what name they should call him and Gi-Aum-e says, "Fred". She says, "Do you know why I gave him that name? Because one of my sweethearts' name is Fred", and she says "When I hear that name called ah, it makes we feel so good." I have got quite a few things of the Indians, baskets & pottery. Tell your mother she ought to get the Art Amateur for January (6) as there will be several pictures of my Indians in it. They are to send me one, expect to get it in a few days.

I’m painting better Indians here than I ever have painted, and I will have a fair lot of pictures when I leave here, and I know I will sell every one of them. I am going to paint a lot of the girls. They are so artistic looking & so pretty. They are so full of fun, laughing & cutting up all the time. Nearly all of them go barefooted.

Mr. Keams sent me a big plum pudding that he made himself. He is an Englishman. Nearly all the men here know how to cook. One of the Indians xxx is going to show me how to make biscuits. I must close now. Goodnight darling. Your own true loving husband.

Lots of love, hugs & kisses,

Elbridge

P.S. I saw a Moqui kittie today with one of the feathers tied around its neck.