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Sacramento Nov 8, 1852 
[note: the date probably should be Dec. 8th, as the date Dec. 2nd is referred to in the body of 
the letter]

My Dear Brother H,

	I am not very well to night but nevertheless you must have a letter; for I got a nice, 
long one from you some time ago, and this may be the last chance I shall have to write before 
the mail goes out.

	I said I wasn't very well. Now, don't be frightened; because it is an era in the history of 
my life, if I take cold, have a headache or feel my blood travelling faster and warmer than usual. 
And it being an era, I must tell you all about it.

	Last Saturday was about the seventh day of continual rain & knee deep mud. Well, 
after travelling about in it until my winter proof boots were pretty well proved, I sat down in my 
office, --without having the luxury of a stove - to make up some judgments, until 11 o'clock at 
night. By that time I was somewhat tired and a little chilly, and the next day I was decidedly 
under the weather. And yesterday I was not much better, and in the afternoon, I thought I was 
entitled to the luxury of being considered an invalid, and so I spent the afternoon in the pleasant 

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parlor of my boarding house. But today I have been constantly in my office, and tomorrow expect 
to [be] perfectly free from every symptom and shadow of indisposition.

	You have heard about the great fire that burned down nine-tenths of the city about a 
month ago. Perhaps you think now that there is not much chance of comfort left in this unfortunate 
metropolis; and perhaps your kind heart is sympathizing with me in my physical sufferings.

	Well, then, just hold on a minute & a half while I sketch the present scene. Outside, 
first however. A pretty white house on the edge of town, in a grassy yard surrounded by a pretty 
willow hedge, - with a pleasant porch looking northward upon the city, the plain & the mountains. 
So much for that.

	It is about 8 o'clock in the evening. In the front parlor is a comfortable coal stove, a
rich mahogany piano, - a lounge, one or two side tables, and near the middle a center table 
supporting an astral lamp, and strewed with books, magazines, papers, periodicals and all kinds 
of literature domestic & foreign.  A lady's work box of most beautiful workmanship and finish - a 
work of Chinese art - also holds its place upon the table, and its proprietress - no less beautiful, 
by

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the way - sits by its side, assiduously employed in some kind of work that to bachelors in general, 
is utterly incomprehensible. Her sister, a fine looking, and very pleasant matron, sits in the next 
chair, also industriously engaged while one or two gentlemen by the stove are talking about Scott's 
defeat, adventures in the mines, or the prospect of another overflow this winter. This is my fix; and 
if you think I am in danger of suffering in any manner, you must be drawing from your own experience.

	I wrote mother a full account of the fire, and as you will probably see it, I will not spend time 
and ink in repeating it. I will say, though, that on the 2nd of Nov. the city was almost entirely burned 
down, and on the 2nd of Decr, it was almost entirely rebuilt! This may seem to border on the marvelous - 
and in truth, it does; - but still it is no less true. I have a fine office in the Court House - a beautiful edifice 
by the way, - and am in the prosecution of a good business as one of those channels through whom the 
streams of Justice flow out to an oppressed & down-trodden people!!!! 

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I wish I could be with you a while this winter, and for a time live over again the quiet, sedate scenes of 
Missouri country life. The whirl of excitement in California never ceases, and sometimes it seems to 
me as though it would be a pleasure to get out of the reach of the buzz and whizz of its great wheels, 
and enjoy for a little time the stillness and soothing calm of rural life in my native land. But I have no 
idea that I would be contented in it longer than a single winter - and if the weather should be cruelly 
cold as it sometimes is there, I reckon I would start off for the El Dorado before the ice broke up.

I am afraid that sleighing and skating will never have any more attractions for me. I care nothing about 
snow more than to see it strewed in pure masses along yonder blue mountains like powdered loaf 
sugar on heaps of indigo, or have it put into a glass of soda in a scorching hot day in the summer. But 
I think after all, I should like to follow the antlered buck with the trusty rifle of a soft snow morning, or 
shoot the gobblers as they streak around the corn shocks, in the new fallen white masses. Oh! these 
old thoughts stealing over me, make me whish that I was back again in my old home; so I'll stop before 
I get sad. Write me soon. 

My Love to all, -- Your brother most affly, 
Elisha.

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I have written all about the fire to Mother so it will not interest you to hear anything now.

But you can imagine how fast the City has been growing up since.  Aladdin's lamp never did 
anything half so wonderful, -- for his miracles were achieved through the aid of necromancy and 
the aid of benevolent and ominipotent Genii; but Sacramento has been rebuilt without any such 
aid, out of substantial boards, brick & mortar, by bona fide carpenters and masons.  Hardly a 
square exists but it is covered with good, substantial buildings; and just as many goods are sold, 
and just as many heavy trains crowd the streets, as in the city's palmiest days.  And you must 
remember that nearly all the building has been done, in spite of the rain that has poured down, in 
torrents during the greater part of the time since the fire.  Yesterday, a splendid hotel, of brick, 
three stories high, and fire proof, was capped by the laying of the last brick amid the shouts and 
huzzas of the workmen.  But 21 working days, since the laying of the foundation!!  Huzza for 
Sacramento!!

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The new Levee around the City has been thoroughly tested within the last few days.  The mountains 
have had more snow on them this year than has been known for a long time at this season, -- and 
their melting waters, combined with the rains, swelled the rivers to horrendous size.  Saturday 
morning, the waters of the Sacramento were even higher than its banks, and within a few inches 
of being as high as the flood of last year.  But the Levee stood the trial admirably and confidence 
in its protection is universally felt.

You would be surprised had I not written the same thing before, to know that the grass is now 
springing up fresh and green and the willow buds are bursting out into tender leaves.  The air 
is a little chilly but not cold - and were it necessary one could sit without a stove very comfortably.  
We have had but two frosts, as yet, and whenever the clouds blow off & permit the sun to shine, 
the weather is delightful.  Yesterday & day before were as pleasant as [a] heart could wish.

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You perhaps wish to hear of me "Officially".  I have been closely employed since I entered the 
duties of my post, -- having had about three cases a day, before me.  My Court has been 
considered of importance enough to have a Reporter, and every morning my Cases are 
presented to those interested in "Law Reports".  Thus far I have done more business than 
either of the other two Justices, and as yet, there are no evidences of a diminution. It is a little 
tedious sometimes to listen to the long, boring speeches of some of the lawyers, but on the 
whole, I like it very much.  There is always something more or less amusing connected with 
every case, and I can enjoy myself highly.  My connection with y partner, Mr. Moore, has ceased 
it being impossible for me to attend to any business as an attorney.  One object I had in view in 
applying for the office, was to have more leisure for reading than I had had before, -- but as yet, 
I have not found much leisure.  I do not despair however, of having an excellent opportunity 
during the coming year of adding a good deal to my stack of legal and historical lore.

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But California is a bad place for a student. The ten thousand excitements that meet one every 
day, unfit the mind for closer application.  This is not the place for preparation - but for action; 
not the field for the theorist, but the arena for the man of practical incessant activity.  I have never 
been able to read with any systematic appreciation since I came here.  As for writing for the sake 
of improvement in the art of composition, I have done the last of it - as you may judge by the 
specimens you see of my skills in my letters.

The eighth page is nearly finished and what have I told you worth knowing.  I shall not forget the 
recommendations which you gave the Yankee girls, both generically and particularly but I am 
afraid it will be a weary time before I can ramble over the hills of New England in search of them.  
Why don't they come to this country.  There are ten thousand honest, generous and warm hearts 
beating for them here, -- and they would beat with still deeper emotions if they would asign but a 
few kind smiles and gentle words.  But this must close.  Excuse the whole and write me again as 
soon as possible. My love to all.

Your aff. bro. Elisha