My Travels with Capts. Lewis and Clark, by George Shannon
Shannon Farm Ohio Dearest George We send this journal with our love on your sixteenth birthday Thomas John James and David fanned the hide for its cover Nancy Lavinia and Arthur stitched it up Even little Wilson helped to trim the pages Didn't they do fine We miss you George We long to look into your clear blue eyes and hear your cheering songs but we knoa you are using your time away from us to good purpose aworking hard at your studies and learning all that your uncle has to teach you in the shop With your pa gone now we are counting on you George Love Ma In writing of your days may you come to know your
Pittsburgh July 18 1808 If I write of this day I must say I counted nails screws nuts bolts brads hooks and locks I thought I was done when Peter the shop s errand boy rolled in a fresh keg of nails and I started counting again This evening I plunked myself down at the kitchen table and toted up my inventory Uncle Liam kept his hawk eye on me Twice I added wrong and he thumped me on the head Hard too At last I got the sums added up Then Uncle said he must see my geography lesson and I had to confess that somehow the geography book has gone missing You find it boy Uncle said or I will yank down your breeches and tan your bottom Just you try it Uncle I may be scrawny but I am strong We'll see who gets tanned Or so I wish I'd said July 22 08 Uncle Liam had just stepped out of the shop this after noon when a gentleman came in He said he'd been promised handsaws at 1 2¢ each and I sold him all we had at that price When Uncle came back and learned of the sale he started screeching how handsaws go for 3¢ apiece and I'd been cheated He picked up a hammer but I ran out of the shop before he could thump my head with
