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                                                                               Barnstable Aug. '44

Cousin Abby,

                               I place your name at The head of This because it is easier writing to a person than an imaginary correspondent & to address one individually Than a whole family collectively.  But since Chandler seemed to insinuate That my letters will have like Dickens' a 'general circulation' I thereby to prevent, Those disputes which will sometimes arise even in the best regulated families, do devise & give & bequeath This are and precious document to The one who shall most speedily indite an answer hereto. 
                                Having thus comfortably arranged preliminaries I will try to give you some idea of our journey & adventures. We had for company Mrs. Charles Cobb whose child deserved a vote of Thanks from all The passengers as it was so good-natured and quiet. & a Mr. Penniman returning to Lowell. 
                               At Athol we took several more among whom were two Amherst students many of whom seemed to be rusticating in the neighboring villages. We were continually exchanging the prisoners and it was no small part of my amusement as I sat like the veiled lady, in the corner to study the different faces, that successively presented  themselves. Some were plain almost to ugliness, but after a while as they gradually engaged in conversation, their eyes lighted up with the fire of mind and they seemed to have new faces. One face alone was hopelessly ugly, because destitute of any redeeming expression, which after all is the true beauty.  There was one face that would have been, may was, very beautiful, but it would have

[left-hand side and across] Now for my thousand & one messages. For Uncle Stephen