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necessary to the Engineer, reputation; while in Wisconsin, with the best situation I could expect I might be getting behing? in both. Rough, rugged New England, where they build Rail Roads that are Rail Roads, and with money too, is the school for Engineers. It will be some time before they will go to Wisconsin for Engineers, and an Engineer I bid fair to be. All the letters I have from Bangor & Milo are complaining bitterly of you for not writing. Mother worried all wonder. Lucy makes a merit of consolation that if you were dead or very sick, somebody else would have written. The Last Advices is that Eliab saw a letter of yours to Miss Lizzie Doe. Now I think of it, perhaps my letter may be the bearer of the news to you, Charles has another Boy. It was born on Eliab's Birthday. Will they not name it after him? I am most afraid though that they will get "Kittredge" or "Russel" or some such horrible thing in with the Eliab. I suppose they have written to you about Joseph's condition. I do not know as anything has ever so much saddened me. He thinks it is permanent, irremediable; says he is ? no more to be an action & mover in the world. It seems dreadful for one to be stopped so short, in the midst of days, one too like him, with such prospects of wealth, usefulness, and I think greatness, There are few young men like our Joseph. Others may judge as they please. Very few of my age, not a great many of any age, have a more extended acquaintance with young men than I have, and I certainly do not know a mind his equal. I am certainly successful in my undertakings. I am considered "promising", but with all my superior advantages, I can but feel that Joseph is my Superior. Taking such a man away from active life is a loss to Community. He has sold out his business to Thurston. The Doctors after Bleeding, Blistering, & Strychnia till they were tired prescribe rest, total rest, & the Summer, he has quartered himself at Milo. If he is able to travel, I am going to get him here at any rate a while. In answer to your letter, I am sorry to disappoint you, but however much I might enjoy a visit to Wisconsin, and however pleasant it would for us to be there together I think, under the circumstances, that I cannot come this Spring, though I mean to sometime, but it will probably be some time before I shall be Engineer of a Plank Road. I think too I might prefer building New England Rail Road