December 18th, 1911

I can picture Amy pressuring Matthew, begging him to write to her sister and Jack. I can imagine her going on about how she misses them, and maybe said something along the lines of being sure they'd listen to him if he asked them to move to Marshall. And it wouldn't be that Matthew didn't want them to move there. He was just tired from working so much. But, just to please Amy, he wrote another letter to Annie and Jack. This one is also full of "land of opportunity" speak, which I'm sure it was, at the time.

December 18th 1911

Dear Annie & Jack

I have no doubt you will think I am very long winded not writing you before this but to tell you the truth I don't like writing very much. Besides, I have been so busy lately that when I got home at nights I did not feel like writing.

My Garage is now closed up for the winter as there is no motors run here. There is too much snow and the roads are too rough so I am working at the shops of the Electiric Railway till the spring. I work 11 hours a day and I have been there five weeks and have only got one Sunday off and the manager was round today and asked me if I would work Christmas day and I said no. It is a nice easy place to work and if you were to come over here I can get Jack a job there. He would get a dollar and three quarters a day* at the least to start and if he went helping a blcksmith he would get 2 Dollars* and you could live right here with us and go in the train morning & night and it don't cost him a cent. I can travel all over the company's line for nothing. I have a book of blank passes and all I have to do is write where I want to go and hand it to the Guard of the train.

You must make up your mind to come over here this spring as Amy has started to get some things for you already. We went to a sale last week and bought quite a lot of stuff, such as beds and cairs, etc. When you do come don't bring a lot of stuff with you as it is no use. Bring all the bed clothes and things like that and plenty (of) clothing for yourselves and the Kiddies as that is about the only things that are dear here. Well Jack, you need not worry about getting work here as there is plenty of it and you are not obliged to stick to one job all the time. If you don't like (it, then) move to something else.

We have just got in our winter stock of meat, a quarter of a beast, which weighed 20 pounds and I am expecting the same farmer to bring me half a pig this week and we have all the potatoes we will eat and canned fruit & pickles, beets & tomatoes. Our own growing and plenty cabbage and we can kill a good fat chicken now and then for a change and I am having a chunk of deer given to me tomorrow. A friend of mine went deer hunting and brought home a fine big deer and if I get an odd Sunday off, I can go hunting for rabbits and partrige, myself. Don't you wish you were here, where you can take your gun and go and shoot anywhere you like and go fishing? People don't have to work so hard in this country to earn a living, so make up your mind now and come this spring, bag and baggage.

I will conclude with love from Amy and myself. I remain your ever loving Brother Matthew Nelson (write soon)

So it sounds like the "stock" they were investing in really was livestock. It sounds like a good business plan for the farmer: put your livestock on layaway. That way, your customers are guaranteed food for the winter and you get a steady stream of income to take care of your farm.

*$1.75 in 1911 would be about $40, today.
*$2 in 1911 would be about $46, today.