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I.S.M. April = 48 ought to know, that he was never known to believe anything: his creed is entirely negative. He is an intemperance man. uses it himself, owns, leases, and supports a miserable Irish Grog Shop. Mr. Birnie, the Bridge Contractor has tried every way to hire or buy the whole premises, for the trouble it makes to him and his men; but the old reprobate wont. Quite a proportion of the people I judge to be fit followers for such a head. I have found but two or three younger men of Northfield, that I would call decently respected anywhere else.

  I do not know but I ought to tell you the story of my fit of sickness and my getting drunk lately.  It may make you talk to me about being careful of my health.  Though in fact, I am never careless; in proof of which, I can say I have not taken a cold at all for the winter or spring.  I usually have a cold sometime latter part of the winter; but this year have entirely escaped; and my health has been perfect: ~ but ~ about a week since I had a sort of Nervous fever which lasted two or three days, in which time I did not sleep, and hardly rested still in one place one whole minute at a time. There was a terrible burning much of the time in my face, alternated by a dull pain among my teeth & cheek bones. Perhaps, you know I am a Hydropathist. Well, I could cure the symptoms quite easily by the regular water cure, laying cloths from cold water over my face etc. but I could not thus remove the cause, the nerves, and the fever would return. At last I got out of patience, went to the doctor, took a good dose of Chloroform, got pretty drunk, calmed my nerves down, went to sleep, and waked up perfectly well.  On the whole it was quite a fit of sickness for me. was not it?
 Isn't this an early Spring? or is it earlier here than in Maine? I picked a nice bunch of May Flowers today 13th  Farmers busy ploughing etc .

Any sort of a decent horse is worth $100.00 here. 6 1/2 fat cattle 90. to 100. Tell Charles whether he does any thing else or not this year to do something about Orcharding. I believe good orchards may be on the Intervale profitably. All wanted is care.