Lapwai Idaho
January 29, 1876
Miss S.L. McBeth

Dear Friend,
I was truly rejoiced to receive from you the assurance that you were still improving.   I have felt a good deal of anxiety about you.  Humanly speaking we could ill afford to lose your services just now.  True the Master can and will find all necessary means to carry on his work and we should confidently trust all to him.   Still it is natural for us to cling to those whose success has inspired us with confidence in their intelligent zeal.  I trust your health will continue to improve and that you may be long continued in your present important work.  I felt particularly grateful that our scholars are beginning to show a capability for interpreting.  This is a very important attainment.  It give the people the benefit of those instructions which the white preacher is able to impart in consequence of his superior advantages.
We have no physician now.  Dr Douglass refuses to attend here for the pay our Ind Dept will give - only at the rate of $600 per an.  I have however addressed a not to the Doctor asking him to prepare the medicine you want.  And I have no doubt he will cheerfully comply.
We are all much pleased with the beautiful and useful presents we have received from you and heartily thank you for them.
I don't think Mr Whitman has received your last list of Nez Perce words.  Do you now that that package of letters sent by James Hines last fall was lost on the road.  It as afterward found but much broken and part of the contents was evidently lost. Your list of words was probably among the missing.
With best wishes for your health and success I am
Respectfully yours

W. J. Montieth