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our health are about as good as usual except my [?ness] in one of my nee which has been quite troublesome ever [ere?] returned from the east. [W?] L health seems to be improving so he can [do?] [?] [higher?] work he is now making [chese?] [boxes?] has [made?] near 300 we feel a goodeal encouraged about him.
In much love to thee in which [Sylvia?] and the children join me I [remain?] as ever thy friend William Dean
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North Ferrisburgh 8 Mo 29/61
Respected friend R B Stevens
On arriving home last eveningI found thy acceptable letter was glad to hear from you but was not a little surprised to hear of thy interesting [son?] [W?] having enlisted in the Army after being so tenderly brought up, and instructed in the Christian principals as laid down by our [underline]saviour[/underline], whose commands were to love our enemies and pray for them that deceitfully use us, these commands I believe must ever stand before him in [capital?] letters more [b?] than all the Stars and Stripes, so long as there is one feeling in our heart to look to him for preservation and support and as he has [emphaticle?] declared that he that takes the sword shall perish by the sword, which I believe
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we shall find to be fullfiled for if we are not destroyed by weapens of war, it has a tendency to destroy every tender feeling that would enable us in true faith and [confition?] to approach our Heavenly Father in [supplication?] for preservation in even [?]
I feelt much for thee in the [tryed?] [?] thy feeling heart must be brought in to on such an occasion, can but hope thou wilt be enabled to apply to that [savior?] who alone can give relief - -
I returned home last evening from Lincoln have spent a week or more in that section with [?] Mother [Meader?] who has been with us about 5 weeks expects to go to [Farnham?] [next?] week and from there to Boston is in hopes that [way?] will make to come and visit you.
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her health is quite poor and she [appears?] much worse from care and fatigue before leaving home by the sickness [& death?] of a grand daughter caused by a disease of the spine caused by a fall she was a bout 8 years old. Wilton Reese and his sister Elizabeth were at our monthly meeting yesterday at [Sarahs?]. they expect to be at your plase on first day I believe. Wm & Cinthia Knowls are [jubilated?] have their answer at their next monthly meeting and I havent heard any objection. [L?] R Meader was yesterday [?] by our Monthly Meeting to the station of Elder by [large?] expresion of unity -
we have just recd a letter from Eliza they are about as well as usual for them [sais?] [Huldoh?] Hoag attend their Quaterly meeting her health is quite poor
