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I should think it a great deal better country about here for farming than it can be in Maine Tis often the case or rather it is generally the case that here people are plowing & sowing in march but now the snow covers all the ground & has since Christmas it is warm & thawing to day & probably the snow will soon be gone -- The farmers say that cattle have wintered better look better & at less expense because of the steady weather tho' cold tis a great deal better than frequent rains & bare ground as is usual here. Such good sleighing is such a rarity in this region that folks have made great account of it in the way of sleigh rides in one instance some ways west of here between 6 & 7 hundrfed people in one company & near by about an hundred persons on horse back to escort them in to the town where they were going -- They had what they call'd a leap year Ball at the Beebe house close by here the company came from one of the adjoining towns - get up by Ladies they order'd all the arrangements about it paid all the cost &c. the young ladies invited the married men, the married ladies the young men - We have heard of a great many parties riding out from this town -- But we care for none of these things - Notwithstanding Anna has had