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                                                                                                             Somerville, Feb. 21st 1856

My Dear Cousin Abby,

                     I have been thinking for a long time that I would write to you but as I have been daily expecting a letter from your brother Charles, have deferred it until now hoping that I might have the pleasure of enclosing with yours a letter to him, but I find it is in vain to wait longer and have therefore some to the conclusion that he has entirely forgotten his promise to answer my letter "before long". He wrote a few lines to the family and enclosed them with your last, and wished me when I wrote to you to send a letter to him. I do not know whether it is best to grant his request or not. What shall I do about it Abby? I wrote him

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