Key West, Fla. 11/10/16

Dear Sister,

You will pardon the long delay as usual. I am still at Key West but will leave Sunday for Jacksonville. It will take about 4 or five days to get there. It is 500 miles from here and we make about 6 nauts[sic] an hour.

As I said before I am aboard the U.S. dredge Barnard. It is going from Tampa to Jacksonville for repairs. This is my first sea [experience] and I like it fine. I am going to stay with it until spring and then go north I believe.

I just had a letter from Art. He says Father is very sick. He has [jaundice] Malaria and [Bilious]

[fever]. [Temperature] has been up to 106 which is getting dangerous, especially for a man of his build.

I think mother wrote you but she had lost your address so it may not reach you. I have not been home for 2 months and am in no position to go now as I cannot get away only by boat. My check is 10 days overdue and will be 5 or 6 more before I get it. Also mail is rather slow here.

Art. said very little in his letter so I am in the dark. However I do not look for anything worse than it now is. At the most I hope not.

How are you [making] it at the grape fields? Did you send for catalogue of the [nursing] school in Jamestown? Tell me what you figure on doing and [perhaps] I can help

you.

How are things on the place?

I will write you again when I get in Jacksonville which will be soon[.]

Key West is not much of a place but some pretty good sized boats stop here. A big liner backed into us while docking last Tuesday[.] She broke in our rail but [didn't] hurt our hull. I may skip on a coastwise vessel if I get an opening.

I will mail this to your old address as grape season should be about over.

My address is
c/o U.S.E.D. Bernard
Jacksonville Fla.

or will be [Jacksonville] for a month or so.

Answer soon. I will keep you posted on Pa's condition as often as I hear from him.

The same old Brud
Algy K.B.