The following letter was written by Marie Adelia Gay (Aunt May) to her brother Green Frederick Gay. Green had been out west prospecting for Gold for 7 years. May was 9 when Green left and was 16 at the time of this letter. Green was her oldest brother. She still had bother Ben, but had lost brother Walter who died at 19. May never married and she and her sister Bell lived in their father's home place until they died.

I will take this pleasant opportunity of writing to you. Oh! If I only could write any of feelings, to my brother, whos lock I have gone to sleep on so often; you were such a good brother to me; how can I look back on those happy times without crying to think you are so far away & that I may never see you anymore; in your last letter you expected to come home this fall {He did return in 1878} but I am afraid you have changed your mind; or that you will get sick like you did last year & dye out there; & then don't you recon we will all have to go to the Lunatic Asylum after all this erfrechng{?} you. Greene please come home now I am so afraid you will get sick and want come & if you write that cant come home this fall, I will never see you I am afraid. I have felt like that I wodent live long or I felt right strangly, but if you don't come home what care of. I hope I shall go to heaven & you that I think so much of wouldn't know me to-day if you were to see me I don't think. I weigh 140 lb and I have changed very much. But Green I have pick you out a sweetheart & I want you to come & see her because she might get married & I had rather you married her than any body in the world she is very smart & good I recon. {could have been Anna White who Green married in 1882} I have just come from supper a few moments ago, the rest are in the dinning room now, the four {Her parents and Sister Sarah} s all that is here now, Belle is visiting down in the piny-woods. Miss Mittiay{?} that was died not long ago with paralyses. Bob Geen's child died last night, he corps here. Uncle Caleb is here yet. Pa has got clear of Bure {?} that use to be for Walters horse {Walter was probably her brother that died in five years earlier}. Three of four of sis'es heans were here Sunday. Bro Ben {Brother Ben Gay who became a layer} has gone to school to Raleigh we have gotten three letters from him, Mr J Peebles {Close neighbor} went up there last week. Bro B sent one of them by him, Mr Peebles said Bro Ben he liked very much. Cotton is nearly open enough to pick out. Our grapes are splendid now, I wish you had some of them. Excuse all the mistakes.

Be sure & come home this fall. Look in the glass & kiss yourself for me. & so have your picture taken & send it to me, none of your excuses now the one we have is so pale.

Mrs Bernette stayed all night here last week. Rosa {Probably her sister Belle Rosa} is not well she has been having chills. Hatty {Possibly older sister Sarah} is very pretty & Rosa is right pretty. Mr. J Ansons school was to commence Monday. Aunt Marthy {may be her father's sister Martha Mitilda} has a teacher, she is Mrs Grants niece.

I will stop I am afraid you will get tired of reading what I have already written.

Good-night your loving
Sister May