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                                                                                                       Nov. 31,- 1847

You say you dont know but you shall be wanted in the office all winter. Do you anticipate as much pleasure as you did ere while in the prospect of climbing the Green mountains, and "bushing out roads,, or grading leveling locating or whatever you call it. What compensations do you get. Take care and not do all the work and let others get all the pay, as you are rather apt to do - you'll find Sharpers every where. Among men of any & every business it is pretty generally the case now adays that each looks out for No. 1 I guess.

   Do you mean to try to make Engineering a permanent business with you -
  Eliab has been quite unwell again with liver complaint Dr. M Craer? says it is pain in his side his skin & white of his eyes yellow as saffron. I prepar'd and rather urg'd his going away from Mr. Brown but Joseph says No. - that he shall name his voice in opposition to it that whether he can do much or little his services are worth more there & will be appreciated higher there than any where else, & that when he is ready after enduring the coming monetary & commercial crisis if he and the Metcalf & Furber live & they stand the tornado - the he (Eliabs) place & business is provided pointed out by circumstances, & something about a one-legged Stool easily upsets but one with several sufferers by divergent stands more firm. And that you are now isolated but that you might be situated so that when fairly under enough?