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                                                                                                                Exeter. Sabbath. Aug/ 7th. 1842

I expected to have received a letter from home last week but did not. I sent a letter a week ago last Wednesday, but am afraid you did not get it. as it was sent to the Post office by a private conveyance. Its principal object was to find out whether you wanted me to come to Milo to help do the haying. I take it for granted you do not, or you would have sent or come after me before this time. Most people have got through haying, about here. & I guess I have to.

 I carded nights all the time 4 weeks, the fifth week three nights & three days, and last week I did Mr. Curler's haying, he having one or two hands to help me, while he and Lysander were occupied in the Shop. It took hold of me pretty hard at first. My hands had become so very soft & tender, working only in the oily ? of the Mill, that I blistered them before noon, mowing, quite badly, and they were some sore for a day or two. Besides this, perhaps I took a little cold. I kinder sore and stiff all over, for a day or two, when not sweating. However I worked it off, in three or four days, felt better than before, did not tired me to work a bit.

Monday, Man & boy to help me, mowed about all day, Tuesday, mowed in the forenoon and in the afternoon raked it all up 75 pretty large cocks, grass thin, ground rough. Wednesday mowed in the morning, opened etc. all the hay. & Mr. Elijah Crane with his horse team helping got in 7 loads. He pitched on and I off. 5 loads ours, and 2 of his besides making up one load for him. 3 of us, besides Lysander raking after, P.M. Pretty good days work, was it not? fifteen hundred at a load, at least. In the afternoon I stick a pitchfork tine into my leg, just by the knee, considerable. after supper it began to be sore, swell up, lame, stiff when I went to bed it was much swelled all round the knee, very sore, hardly bend my leg at all, very lame, expected I had got to have a lame leg, perhaps be laid up for a spell. But (Mr. Cutler's folks are Thomsonians) I bandaged it in flannel with the miraculous Hot drops, rubbing some in well, and truly wonderful to relate, it actually drew out the cold, took away the swelling and soreness and in the morning, my leg was about well !!!!! I do actually believe, that, without its application, I should have had a lame leg. Thursday I worked for Mr. Crane, for his work the day before. Mr. Elijah Crane is a very fine man, very smart worker indeed in these parts, but he has his hands full this year. Selectman, Sup. School. Corn. Administrator of Mr. Uphams estate, about which there is a good deal of fuss, building a new house, just like Mr. Cutlers, (2 carpenters all summer). a large farm and business to carry on, all himself. but he is good for it, also his wife Julia Baker, used to be. This preceding is only a digression, for the purpose of introducing to your notice, his horse team, He has a couple of small, round, tough little horses, valued at about 50 apeice. They have done all his farm work, hauled the stones for his cellar etc. no small riding round to boot, and been to Bangor in a team 13 times, this summer, sleek and fat all the time, bright as a dollar. Would two like Pomp. do it? Horses are very low indeed, no market for them down east. If Pomp is sold this year, he will have to go to the West Indies.