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[Sarah to N. Kendall]

St. Louis, August 23d / 53

My dear good brother,

Your kind letter came to me to day just as I was preparing dinner and I can assure you I read it gladly for it is a long, long time since we have had anything in the shape of a letter from you; and now I have got sit down for the afternoon I am going to answer it knowing you are ever glad to hear from me and mine and will be especially so now you are among strangers. I highly approve of the plan you are pursuing both as regards your health and business, so does my husband. We had just had a letter from Josephine telling us all about it you can never be very useful or em - eminent in the ministry with such poor health as you have had of late years - indeed it's [illegible] if you strove to perform them faithfully would in a very short time wear you out like you from the scenes of earth. Now if in the occupation you are determined

Jesse has just come to going (it is evening) of an errand and will spend the night so he will get your letters & Josephine's; he has on a checkered shirt, rough coat & pants & an old crushed ?, black hat & ? he always comes and thus our friends have to see him although we tell him we wish him to be more particular about his looks and he has clothes or might have if he would hear to us in which to look clean not neat but he doesn't seem to care how he looks. Aug 24th Jesse likes your proposition and will write you soon; he is still here having a chill, had been troubled with them of late and is very poor. Raymond has not written or said anything to me about any money since I was with you. When we were there he spoke to Mr. Weaver about paying him what he owed him which is some more than $100 I think.