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Almance, Nov 16th, 1865

My Dear Sir,

Our troubles have great variety & seem to have no end. I arrived at home last evening, only to receive a most painful shock to my feelings, which is aggravated by the necessary discharge of the only of a faithful friend to my beloved daughter & yourself & Household in making this communication, which can not produce in you emotions less [?] than my own. We have reasons to believe that our poor boy Duncan has gone off again! My purpose in this is to tell you all that is known home about the mother. I informed you that he came our house last friday __& spent Saturday & Sunday seeeming to be rather more sedate, quiet, obliging & ffenctionate than usual. After a late Sunday dinner he bid us goodby for the purpose of going back to school as he said & we all thought [?]