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Isaac Mt Hawkins Perry Co Ill Sept 14 1851 Mount Hawking, Perry Co. Illinois Sabbath Morning Sept 14, 1851 Dear Antoinette, Your kind letter I received and eagerly read upon my arrival here last night somewhat late. I have just been reading it again this morning. How long seems the time it take letters to go from here to New England & back. I seem to realise more and more every week how very far away I have placed myself. I believe the mails arrive here securely, but by no means regularly. Since I have been here I have received one letter from Bangor one week, and the next one mailed at the same office two weeks earlier than the one first received. I had begun to get quite impatient and anxious before I got your letter. I should have written again before receiving yours but, thinking of it almost every day, I kept expecting that the next day I should get your letter. Another trouble here is that I do not always get letters as soon as they arrive here. I am now moving about considerable, and sometimes am not here for nearly a whole month, and when I am away twenty or thirty miles, I find I do well if I her from the Post Office as often as once a week. The letters I found here last night had been awaiting me here for three or four days. I believe though that letters are almost doubly prised when I do get them. As you and other friends caution me a good deal about my health, I must have my turn in hoping you will be careful and not over fatigue yourself in Domestic duties and get sick. I presume you are an accomplished housekeeper and certainly wish I could add one to the number of your visitors and enjoy your hospitality for a day or two at least. I wish I could be there today and enjoy a good New England Sabbath. It is a great privation to be so destitute of Sanctuary privileges as one must be here. One can if in right state of mine, meet and