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                                                                                                                                       Cottage Grove April 18th 1851

Scince I last wrote you I have been to the land office at Stillwater and made application to purchase two of the parties? that Smith has covered by land warrent, but I found that to make my application good the money must be deposited with the receiver otherwise the application could not go on record, not being able to deposit the money I have had to let it rest.

   I expect Smith here in the course of three or four weeks and I am of the opinion that he will be ready to arrange the matter satisfactorly, as he must be fully aware that he never can get a title. ? the two parties uppon which I have improvements, by his land warrent. If disposed however he might withdraw the location of his warrent and enter with the money. 
    When I last wrote you I made an allusion to the probability of my being absent from home for a year or two to come, those probabilities however have become as one of the things that ? I remain at home.