Mrs McAlpin: --- It becomes my painful duty to inform you that your husband is dead. He died the 21 st of this Inst. He had the various diseases which you will see by reading the last letter he will ever write you, which I now send you. Not withstanding he had been badly afflicted, yet he was getting well, but felt some pain from Rheumatism and sent off and bought a bottle of pain killer and when it came he took too much at one dose which killed him in a short time. He wrote you with pencil as you will see but a few days before he died. I was not here when he died, consequently can not tell you how he died whether or not he was willing to die or whether he talked any before he died. It is truly a sore trial to have to give up ones companion, yet we all have to die sooner or later. Let me therefore beg of you to try and bear it with all the fortitude you can.

Although I am a stranger to you and do not know how you are trying to live, but my dear Madam let me beg of you to look away to the Widows friend "Jesus Christ" who will take care of you and your little one if you will only look to him and put your trust in him. Your husband died in a good cause, and I can assure you he had good attention while he was here, and was decently buried after his death.
I am Very Respectfully &c P M Tidwell Physician
At Hospital