Letter to Lucy Emily Woodruff, 19 June 1887 [LE-39609]

St George June 19 [18]87

Miss Lucy E. Woodruff

My Dear Grand Daughter

your letter of June 14 arrived lst
night to me in the Temple I am
vary much pleased with your
letter, Esspecially with the writing
One of the best accomplishments
of a young Lady or Gentleman is to
able to write a good plain round
intelligent hand yours is vary good
indeed but to scribble as I do
it wants a translation. There is
is few men living who have
spoiled more paper than I have
I write to much to fast & scribble
to tend to write Well your writing
is quite good Enough for the Historian's
Office but when I promised you I would
take you there to help me I did not
know that I would be deprived of the
privelege of Going there myself, whenever

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I have that privilege I will try to
remember you but the way things
are thare now they cannot do much
of any business I think you have
done v[er]y well in school, and if my
rents had continued as they have done
formerly, I would liked to have kept
you thare untill you were fully established
I look upon Education as of far
more value than property. But neerly
all my rents have stayed it is quite
as much as I can do now to keep
my large family moving & pay my
taxes. My Taxes last year was $332,
but I had Extra school taxes this year
this year My Terretoreal School & county tax
is $208 of course there with city & other
Taxes but I Hardly know what I am writing
to you about this for. I had the Honor
of preaching Last Sunday to a large
congregation in the St George Tabernacle
among the Number was U S Marshel
Armstrong & clerk of the Commissioner from

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Beaver they came on purpose to
attend, the conference & to ^do^ some official
business. I thought they ought to
be preached to & I wanted to do it,
and I did & I had good liberty and
talked v[er]y plain, at the close of the
Meeting I passed close by the Marshel
but we did not pass any words, but
He talked with E. Snow & others. I shall
be glad to see Salt Lake and my family
once more when the time comes Now
Lucy perhaps I ought to give you some
benefit I realize that you are a
steady good girl a trait I look upon
as of Great value, And as you are
now forming your character which
will govern^govern^ you through all time &
Eternity. you want to become established
in your regular season of Prayers
Every hope you lie down in the morning
when you arise up, And establissh
a rule in your Early life that you
will not keep company or form any associations

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or Mormons who are not good
Latter Day Saints. Any young Man
who writes to turn an acquaintance
with you find out if you ^can^ whether
He knows God & his parents if He
does & is an industrious man you
will be safe with him, you are worthy
of a good Husband when the time
comes, but Marry No tman for
rides. The key of virtue is the
main spring, and glory & salvation
of woman, and should be of man
A virtuous woman is better
than rubies And if it was the
last words I was to say to you on
Earth I would say Live & Die Virtuous
permit No man on Earth to take
any unlawful Liberties with you
any man who will attempt it should
at once. Virtue, honesty, integrity, Industry &
and faith in God with truthfulness should be
written upon the tablets of your heart. God
Bless you. Your Affectionate Grand Father
Wilford Woodruff