Matilda was sad to hear they were unwell and hopes they are better. She also had a cold and so did Abe, Bessie and Mattie. She gives Dinkie's recipe for cough medicine. She has had dry weather until yesterday and it hasn't stopped raining since. She talks about Dinkie's garden. She is worried about Tobe and Linnet. Dinkie writes that colds are going around. Mattie stayed with Birdie. Dinkie has a hundred chicks and two hens; she milks four cows and has so much milk. She has no hogs to give the milk to because they are all dieing of cholera. She also has to deal with mad dogs.

Letter from the Texas Department of Education to Joshua Calhoun Howell on April 10, 1889. The letter renews Howell's teaching certification. Included are the envelope the letter came in and a paper detailing rules for conducting the examination of candidates for teacher's certificates.