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Summerfield Unclear, Ind. 1854. Friend Kendall, Your kind epistle of April 22nd. came to hand this evening: and I am sure I cannot make you sensible of the satisfaction it gave me to receive a line from your own hand, stating that your health was improving. Though, upon the other hand, it unclear me to learn of unclear. Kendall's late illness [?}s. But I do pray, that she, as well as yourself, may recover yet, entirely. For O, what is life in the absence of health. its richest blessing! Alas! My dear friend, how changed I am since I saw you last. I have learned a great lesson though dearly bought-since we took the parting hand! I have been brought to view this life, this world. I all things transitory, in a light different from what I ever did before. For the space of about three months, during my illness last Summer

and fall I was in a state of despair, so far as 

this life is concerned. I had given up all hopes of recoveries, in spite of the anxious endeavors of my friends to cheer up my drooping spirits, it seemed to me that I could not believe I ever would get well.