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   Remsen Nov. 28.1849.

Dear Sister Jane,

   I wish you were here seated by my bedside instead of being so many miles off. But this cannot now be much as we may wish it. Oh, Janey, I cannot tell you how very long the time has seemed to me since I had to confess to my own heart that you were indeed gone! Do you not remember how many times I said that I did not believe you would go? I know not why it was, but I could not bring myself to think that you were going, or indeed that you had gone after you started until I received a letter in your own writing saying that you were at South Hadley. How slowly the year passes away; only a little over two months have passed since you left us. But when you do return I hope that instead of lying here I shall be at the gate to meet you! Oh, then we will be twice happy!
   We commenced to write you a family letter last Sat. hoping to have it finished in time to send you before Thanksgiving day, but that is now impossible, and as we fear we shall not be able to finish it before next week some of our number being so much engaged in "the last of the month". I thought I would write you