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On the sides: Dec. 9th, 48 Grouts

Miss E.A. Rich Racine Nov 18th 21st 1848

Racine Nov. 18th '48

Dear Brother I was made glad yesterday by receiving your letter - the first and only one I have received from my friends in the four weeks I have been here. I could not however expect letters till now, for mine must first reach them. I wrote two letters home each of five pages, the second day after my arrival, and am now 'looking' every day for answers. I did begin to wonder at not hearing from you, and being aware of a little propensity on your part to improvidence, had begun to feel some anxiety, fearing you were sick with brain fever or something else. I regard it as one (among many others - of the favoring providence of God 's heavenly grace, that did not permit you to go to Alabama, when particularly in your business, that climate must, it seems to me injure your constitution, perhaps render you an invalid for life, -- When you leave New England come toward the West, where is ample scope for talents, enterprise, and business of all sorts, where population is flowing like a vast wave, and, Society composed of conflicting elements, is in a state of commotion, of unstable and changing character, get ready for any impress; so that if right influences are thrown in, now, they will have an effect, in determining its future cast. For this reason I am glad I am here, to cast in my mite of effort and influence, and wish all my brothers and sisters as well as my mother and other friends were here too: - the good influence which I trust they all exert, would be increased tenfold in its consequences in this flourishing and truly important fraction of our country. My anticipations are agreeably disappointed in my experiences thus far, of Western country and Western life, but I suppose