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Albany Aug 20 1843 Dear Mother I have sat down this afternoon to spend a few moments with my Mother and to remove all her anxieties about forgetting her. Erasmus received a letter from You in which You seemed to think we had forgotten You and perhaps our neglecting so long to write to You has given You just ground for so thinking. But Mother Mother You are Mistaken in so thinking for I regard You Dear Mother with the Same feelings of love (only strengthen by years) as I did when I was wont to sit upon your knees and listen to the expressions of your maternal love as it flowed so kindly from your lips, and be it far from me to wish to cause one unhappy thought or one moment of anguish to my mother. What motive Edwin could have in communicating to you such erroneous ideas as you say he did I know not and I am author -ized by Erasmus to give them an unqualified contradiction he made this proposition to Edwin to take you with your Family Edwin and himself and settle down in the western Country. He thought it would be a home for you in your old age. But Edwin declined and this Spring he got married and again renewed the the proposition not knowing that Father was at home But Edwin said it was altogether out of reason in taking you out with them. Since then Father has returned home and as you say a reformed man and it is my heart's desire and prayer to God that he may continue so you say if your children think it their duty to despise and neglect their mother because she thinks it her duty to live with their Father if he would become a reformed man God will grant your grace to be reconciled to it you hope: Mother harbour not such thoughts. Can a child despise such a mother as you have ever ben to us: Can he have any other Feelings than that of the most profound respect and admiration; I trust not And the news of Father's reformation fills me with joy unspeakable, And hope that