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Milo April 16....45
My Dear Son We reciev'd a great large bundle from you last mail and a good feast it was because I feel gratified & I hope thankful that you are so good about writing letters home. Joseph is not quite so dutiful in that respect but I trust it is not from any want of affection - he is not very bad about it - I dont know what Eliab will be I feel a great deal of anxiety about him. Mr. Walter Brown wrote a letter to Charles expressing a wish to employ him in his store & if they both like stay as he express it till he could get a thorough Mercantile education Ann was very much pleas'd with the idea Charles thought it might be a good chance and E. seem'd inclin'd to go I said not much against it tho' I had & have some misgivings. He hurried right away for fear he should lose the chance has been there now a fortnight - he wrote a hasty line home saying only that he guess'd it was a good place - that he would give him 30 or 40 dollars this year & 20 or 25 dollars a month next yr I wrote to him not to conclude any bargain till C. goes down. I have felt rather a new sensation of loneliness since E. went away to have you young ones all gone baby and all you have all been absent occasionally but when I reflect that perhaps he nor you nor Joseph will be at home as you us'd to except now and then a while it makes me feel sad and lonely. O let us all pray and strive that we may be a whole family transplanted in due time to that better home and endless life where we may increase in virtue holiness and happiness no more to be seperated forever I want you should write to Eliab he is a good clever boy but he has been flatter'd and had his own & has "sorter,, slid out from under the restraint salutary and perhaps absolutely necessary for boys of his age - he is in danger of being a light superficial character if nothing worse - he want be more easily led away than Joseph at his age - Jo went to Foxcroft the next week after he had done his school and I have hardly heard from him since I suppose he cant spare time. I never saw but one person do parsimonious of time that was your father & I dont know as he was. C has not done much on the house, expects Gelman in 2 or 3 weeks he could not come before because his family were not well C. has hir'd a man for six months begins next week Hay is very scarce about here hardly any body got any to sell I guess. C's and J's will sell for $10 a ton - you say you wont pay the the last year term Bill take care and ascertain what is best to do before you act rashly you must not be guided much by our opinion because [written in between lines of above upside down] 22nd have had a letter from Eliab yesterday he likes very well says Mr. B. will give him $75 dollars to stay one year we have had 2 or 3 since this month come in the feild are only partially have now ice is not gone out of the river but it has been very warm yesterday and today one of C. oxen is very lame has been for six or 7 weeks (old swan), he think, he wont do to work any more but will do for Beef in the fall. The Mill folks have got in quite a fuss about roads and ferrys they have built a new boat at Jackson Ferry Niles Carver is continuing to buy the Boat and Monopolize the ferry (Mr. Cutts was talking here today, he says that to prevent it they mean to prevent this ferry being discontinued and push through the diagonal road now Charles & uncle Henry can crow Mr. Kittredge ? has become very unpopular cheifly in consequence of building this inner road says he's very sorry. Would rather give twice as much to build the other. Mrs. Kitredge has got a pair of twin boys 6 weeks old. Aron Hill a pr of twins too neither of them living Daniel Holman will be here today on his way to Bangor to seek his fortune says he thinks of trying to get an education I am afraid he is not aware of the difficulties that are in his way not having early advantages etc. however if he cant get along with it he can stop you know. Surely if he can get a liberal education by his own exertions you need despair. I rather think that Joseph has come to the conclusion that he shall not get his living by the labor of his hands, exactly. The newspapers you sent come safe to hand try it again. write a good long letter to Eliab soon as you can. Our village is increasing very fast in business and the number of its inhabitant but it is a dreadful profane and wicked place. I am very sorry I made such coarse homely shirts for you do save them for winter and if I can get some cloth I mean to make some fine ones and have them ready to send to you if I have a chance if not they'll be ready when you come do write often and very particularly all you do and say and think and feel. Pray for me think often how short this life is how vast the souls affairs and above all live near to God. I have sometimes had had a little doubt whether it was best for you to go to B. but certainly you have every inducement to persevere much and difficulties are not without their use if they are met manfully be strong if you find you cant get along any other way couldn't you leave at commencement and earn money till spring.