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intends to deceive me as he ought to have brought them before - I
am beginning to be anxious to see him appear - as our cattle I am afraid
will suffer or destroy John's provisions. = -

The children are doing very well at school I hope - they are compelled to
study out of doors that they may have the benefit of the warmth of
the sun as they cannot get a fire - William told me, his teacher
told his classmate, he ought to be ashamed for he had studied the
book before & could not say as good lessons as Will did. -- he was
very much pleased & I think has studied harder since. -- They have
been preparing their fishing tackle all the week when they
were not studying - Do you not wish you could be here to
assist us in destroying the quantity they will bring home on
Saturday? they calculate largely -----

You have been absent 4 weeks to-day - & you have just eight more to
stay - Dear Me? my heart sickens at the thought. If we continue
to be blessed with health - I think I must bear the separation
without a murmur. It is hard nevertheless.

I received a letter last Thursday from Betty Plummer - the little
creature wrote as most other children do - with short sentences
& a good deal of news comprised in a short space - Bro W - put a
P. S. by way of interpretation - there was nothing very strange
or wonderful except that Mary Pope is to be married the 15th of this
month to John Cawthorne - would you have believed it? - My friends
are all better. Bro Kemp had rode into town several times & had
dined with Bro William. - I wrote Bro K a long letter on Tuesday
in which I spoke very plainly to him upon an important subject.
& I can but hope it may do him good but I fear very much it will
not. I know I have not interested you very much in this letter but
I am in a great hurry - you must excuse me - Good bye my dear