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My dearest John - Your letter came several days since greatly to my pleasure - and I enjoyed it all the more from not having expected such a pleasant one. If you had only written to Romaine as kindly and pleasantly as you did to me you would have spared her much pain. She felt very badly about your letter to her - for she had depended so much on your love and sympathy - which you could have given her - even though at the same time telling her wherein you thought her wrong. I must say - John - it was a disagreeable letter - to her - and I don't think you meant it to be so - but things always seem worse when written than when spoken - there being no kind time to soften that which must be said. I was very sorry you wrote as you did, for it made R. feel a resentment and bitterness which might have been differently expressed. There are few who can

[written on side:] You are a very generous brother to offer to take care of ? - provided I never like any man better than you Why didn't you set the ? example by loving your sisters better than anyone else? Your theory and practice do not harmonize & you know actions speak louder than words - but you need not fear for me - I am heart-whole yet and likely to remain so - Ma & Romaine often say that there must be some great deficiency in either my heart or head - because I have reached nineteen without falling in love - so having come thus far - I may hope to be safe in the future - Perhaps though if I were to meet another like my brother John - I might be forced to yield - if I have said anything I ought not to have said just please take it for granted that it was not intentional