Letter from Merritt to his young son, Jesse, in which he expresses his regret at being so far from him, especially since his mother has passed away. He also offers advice and promises to write every fifteen days. Attached is a letter from Merritt's cousin, Stenick, to his cousin, Sally, who is looking after young Jesse. After one failed business venture, he is currently clerking for P.A. Chagal of New York for $175 per month. He writes that he could stay and make money, but would prefer to be with his friends and plans to return home, mentioning other people there who would do the same. Also, he states that San Francisco is an awful place for modest females, but that there are some of the fastest females there in the world. In addition, he describes the Chinese as odd, but that some are very shrewd in their business transactions.
