OSWEGO, Oct 25th, 1857.

DEAR SIR:—­I take this opportunity of writing you these few lines to inform you that I am well and hope these few lines will find you the same (and your family you must excuse me for not writing to you before.  I would have written to you before this but I put away the card you gave me and could not find it until a few days sins).  I did not go to Canada for I got work in Oswego, but times are very dull here at present.  I have been out of employ about five weeks I would like to go to Australia.  Do you know of any gentleman that is going there or any other place, except south that wants a servant to go there with him to wait on him or do any other work, I have a brother that wants to come north.  I received a letter from him a few days ago.  Can you tell me of any plan that I can fix to get him give my respects to Mrs. Still and all you family.  Please let me know if you hear of any berth of that kind.  Nothing more at present I remain your obedient servant,

    OSCAR D. BALL

    But my name is now John Delaney.  Direct your letter to John
    Delaney Oswego N.Y. care of R. Oliphant.

    OSWEGO, Nov. 21st, 1857.

MR. WILLIAM STILL, ESQ.  DEAR SIR:—­Your letter of the 19th came duly to hand I am glad to hear that the Underground Rail Road is doing so well I know those three well that you said come from alex I broke the ice and it seems as if they are going to keep the track open, but I had to stand and beg of those two that started with me to come and even give one of them money and then he did not want to come.  I had a letter from my brother a few days ago, and he says if he lives and nothing happens to him he will make a start for the north and there is many others there that would start now but they are afraid of getting frost bitten. there was two left alex about five or six weeks ago. ther names are as follows Lawrence Thornton and Townsend Derrit. have they been to philadelphia from what I can learn they will leave alex in mourning next spring in the last letter I got from my brother he named a good many that wanted to come when he did and the are all sound men and can be trusted. he reads and writes his own letters.  William Triplet and Thomas Harper passed through hear last summer from my old home which way did those three that you spoke of go times are very dull here at present and I can get nothing to do. but thank God have a good boarding house and will be sheltered from the weather this winter give my respects to your family Montgomery sends his also Nothing more at presant

    Yours truly JOHN DELANEY.

THE ACTING COMMITTEE

[Illustration:  N.W.  DEPEE.]

[Illustration:  JACOB C. WHITE.]

[Illustration:  CHARLES WISE,]

[Illustration:  EDWIN H. COATES]

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