AP.C Me,
Leepeldville, January 19, 1900
My Dear Bro. Pettersons~

I rec'd your letter stating
that yeu would continue to de our little business at
Matadi but that you could net de it at the same rate
ef 125- per annum as before, but would make the price

Of course I can net ask yeu te de the werk cheaper
fer the time since I asked yeu te centinue it. But will
ack you, as a friend and brether, te consider, really,
the emeunt yeu ask for paying out eur bills te the State,
in the forma of customs & to the ch. de Fer for freight
&e. Our society can net afford to give its missionaries
a salary, er allowance, of mere than (&60) Sixty Pounds
per annum, and fer the extra work it causes your mission,
yeu demand (£50) Fifty Pounds.

I hoped to do all the work here
that is pay all bills &c. and ef course make arrangement
with some one at Matadi te Entertain our Missionaries
if they ge up or down country. But en account of Mrs.
Crewley's peor health, we have decidea to go home in
May er April. Se in order to keep things running as they
have fer so many years and have our little affairs
settled at Matadi by the §.M.S. as before, I have deemed
it best te ask you if you would not continue our
business at the same rate that it has been done for the
last two years - say (#25-) Twenty five Pounds per annum
and have a written contract as such.

It is never necessary fer your
society te pay out any money in advance for us if you
will only let us knew the amount needed. I know that
after our dear Br. Strandman's death such was the case,
but it was net really my fault for I always sent money
as seen as I knew what was needed
