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Hawleyville Pays Co {{ }} Thursday May 16th 1861.

My Friend {William?} After a long lapse of time you { } to write me. I was beginning to feel "powerfull" angry on account of it, But when I learned you had been ill, your { } your self entirely from blame. I am indeed sorry to learn of your illness, but I hope you are quite better, and the "bugs" from how-{ } you speak of, may { } be a useless {adjurant}. I think a little hard of you for getting sick whilst you { } absent from home. you might have waited until you came home, so that us {  ??Iowa?} doctors, could have made a large {Bill?} - but you have "did and done it" been sick & got well, so I shant raise a fuss about it at this late date. the "Orchestra" consisted of the Holmes family - that is George and Winslow, performing on the "Violin", commonly known as the fiddle. I wish you had have been here. I know an exhibition would have very much {rised? } you, and agreeably too.