Being the genuine letter of old Mr. Zophar Downing,
`amost eighty-three yere old.'

Uppington, Western Resarve
Tuesday, June 5, A. D. 1833, N. S.

To my Neffu John Downing:—I am got to be
amost eighty three Yere old, and I'm in my eighty
third Year now, and its so long since I have took any
Pen in my hand to write any thing nor a Letter to any
Boddy living for now going on a very long Time. And
what makes it particular bad for me is that my Fingers
is got stiff with Rhumatiz and cold, and is all Thums,
as much as tho they was froze in the Winter.—Your
Ant is sick abed; she ketch'd cold some Time in
Aperil, and I dont know when she will git over it; she
is in her eighty second Year most as old as I be, we
are both very old and prety much done with this World,
so to speake. I did not ever expect to write any more
Letters to my Friends because I'm in my eighty third
Year and am too old most to write Letters. But you
writ a Letter to me from the Citty of Washington and
it was throw'd out of the Stage Wensday as it drove
by. And when I redd about your goin to take the
President of these United States to Downingvile then I
said to your Ant my dear I must try and write an
Answer to Jonny's Letter.

I was jeest about as old as you be John when the
Great Washington died, 14 day of December, and was

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with him and spoke with him seventeen year before,
when he left the Army and wisht I might live many
yeares, and what you writ to me makes me think a good
deal of that time. I shant forget it to my dyin day—
but I hope you wont have Ardint Sperrits in your Town
on the occasion. I dont drink any more Flip nor Tody
sence 17 August A. D. 1831 and am better fort, and
hope Brother Joshua has stopped. Two of my Cows
was lost last year by Destemper and one of Mr. Doolittles
who lives opposite, is a hard worken Man. Some
Destemper was here this yere but I follerd what was
said in the Temperance Almanick and they was cured
in time to git over it. I desire that my Brother Joshua
woud write a Letter to me to let me know whether he
is going to make out as well with his Ternips as he did
3 year ago, he wrote to your Ant about it. I tryde
that Plan here, but it dont do in this Soil, it is to dry
most of it. Your Aut tells me she dont think Brother
Joshua can be so strong of his Age as I be, seeing he
hant writ any of us since that Account of his Garding
Sauce turnin out so remarkable good that year.

It is thirty-two years ago next month since I was in
Donwningville, how is Deacon Wiloby and his family
and his daughter Sooky was uncommon humersome, but
your ant always used to say she thot Sooky was a little
too fond of seeing people perlite and that she was to
espirin for Downingvile when she was young and a comely
child. I thank you John for some newspapers you
sent to me last when so much was writ about the President
and the Vice President, one spell I was afeared
that the poor salvages in Georgia State was agoin to
suffer till the great Proclamation to the Nuliphiers as
they are called which you sent to me, but I hope they
are not now, they are a sufferin People certin. If you
do take the President east I hope there is no boddy but
what will treat him with respect. You know John I dont
know much about politix, but I know something of my
bible, and I hope I shall alwais read in it while I continue
to live, and it says in the 2nd Book of Samuel,

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about Absalom's setting by the gate and shakin hands
and kissin every boddy that passed by, and whisperin
in their ears what he would do if he was king, and you
know mor about the Vice President, and I ask you if
that man aint adoin so too, and if it is not some boddys
duty to speak to the President about it. But my hand
shakes somes writin so much, and give my love and
ants to all our relations and to the neighbours of yours
that I used to know.