A Prayer for My Little Sister, 1898

If you have a sister, or someone you love like a sister, this post might be of interest to you.

Often at estate sales, I find an old letter that someone has saved.  Too often, I have no idea who the sender or the recipient of the letter were -- sometimes there are only first names to provide a clue.

Such was the case with the single, small sheet of paper I found mixed in with some old Christmas cards at a recent estate sale.  There was no envelope, no address, not even a signature.

But I thought it would be worth it to share the writer's thoughts, more than a century after she wrote them down.

Shandon, Cal.

March 12, 1898

My own dear sister Fannie;

Today

you enter upon another

year of your pure, young

life.  You cannot imagine

how nearly impossible it

is for me to realize that

my baby sister is now

sixteen.  From the depths

of my heart, dear sister

I wish you many, many

happy returns of your

birthday, and hope that 

the future years hold

a goodly share of joy 

and comfort for you

-- also patience -- and

longsuffering to endure

all the trials placed

in your pathway.

I am sure you will

strive to make each year

one of usefullness and

an improvement on 

the one gone before.

Continue to be pure

in thought, word and 

deed and always, under

all circumstances take

everything to God in prayer.

May His mighty protection 

and tender mercies be

with you always.