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                                                                                                                                                                                             Mother M.  Bangor March 7
                                                                                                                                                                                          Du Quoin, March 26, 1853
My Dear Children, First I must thank you more especially My Nettie tho you are both one- for a very beautiful Book Mark it is in modern phrase exquisitely Elegant
    I intended to have written to you again before now but being here and having in some measure the care of cooking and household affairs seems to absorb about what little I have left of mind and thought-- However I enjoy it---- when you can get the girls letters as a substitute for mine you'll be great  garners by it you know for I am  growing old & stupid or rather I am grown old and stupid --- only think now I am 66 years old. And what has my life been ? if I could not throw it all away and flee to Christ as a hiding place  and covent, how miserable I should be I had a letter from your Uncle at Woonsocket a few days since           He said he had been sick but is getting better your uncle Enoch perhaps you know has had a shock of  paralysis cannot use his right hand feeds and shaves himself with his left    Eliab has I suppose told you of  the " Brig Susan Duncan's " Disaster her Master carried away  He making a Bill of 2 or 3000.00  for her owner.  Eliab is more unfortunate than he us'd to be his health so poor these two years past

left side of page and top does not as a gift, but rather as a matter of rights , it would be more agreeable to her feelings with out doubt__ If we are wrong in the matter why then do nothing about it. I have said nothing to E as he has unusual expense about this time. In haste Most affectionately, Sister Lucy