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Dearest Cousin Charles, I hardly know how to address you now, for I am not good at making apologies, and yet think I ought to offer a very good one for my long neglect in answering your kind letter. Can you forgive me, and believe me when I say that it was not coldness, nor even forgetfulness that made me so delinquent. We all think and speak often of our relatives in the Old World, but somehow written communications between us have always been, like angel visits, "few and far between." Cousin Margaret has recently favored us with a long and very interesting letter, and we have also had one from Aunt Jane Williams and her daughter Lizzie, which we have just answered, so that by it all, the ocean has ceased to seem such a great barrier, and all our friends on the other side have been brought nearer to us. Perhaps you have not felt it, but we have.

left side writing nature, or providence in nature, is very good to us. There seem to be many graces of the Spirit, which only come to any degree of perfection through long experience , and with such as have had a long and blessed christian experience with what luster do they sometimes shine. I hope I do not idolize my father, but sometimes I think I come pretty near it. Dear cousin, anything that you can write about your dear departed father will be of great interest to us. I hope that you will not fail to write soon, take warning by me, and do not begin to delay, and remember that any little incidents connected with life habits, climate or anything in England or Wales will be novel and pleasing to us. Our parents seldom seldom speak at any length of such things now so there would be no danger of your telling anything old. We would also like to hear anything connected with yourself or family. I suppose of course you are interested in our National Struggle. I have so little space left that I can only allude to it. It has been fearful and bloody, but we hope soon to see its end - and we confidently expect it will result in the fulfillment of our long, long, long indulged wish, and most fervent prayer that the foul system of slavery shall cease to defile our fair country. Oh! what a curse is cruelty, where ever it exists! My sisters and brothers, father and other all join one in love w yourself, your mother, and all our cousins. Remembe torn page ously look for a letter to assure me that my ingratitude and delay are forgotten. Affectionately your cousin Cynthia K. Everett