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written on left side: E.A. Rich Feb. 15th Racine Groots '49 Jan 31st '49

Racine Jan. 23 1849. Your kind letter, my dear brother, of the 10th Ult. reached me after 16 days passage and gave me much pleasure, as you may well suppose: - in my letter to J. and E., I told them that you would sympathize with me, in some degree, in the pleasure of hearing from friends when away from them all, but that they could not for they have never been separated from all. I am much obliged for your prompt answer to mine, - it reached me in the midst of the week of christmas vacation and wanted to answer it the next day, but happened to have several letters due: I spent the three first days of vacation in copying an elegant little engraving from the Electir- 'the Water Dipper:' the remainder of the week in writing letters, I wrote five long ones, - the first to Mother and folks there, one to Mrs. Pomroy who had felt hurt because I did not communicate any intentions of leaving to her, other letters to teachers who came out with me, to whom I had promised to write. - Since then I have written two, closely written of six pages each, one to the boys and Lucy the other to my friend Lissie Doe, I feel bad that this has not been sent on its long way before this, for I shall think it long before I hear from you again but have been prevented from day to day, and week to week, We have began a new term, prepared for an examination, which on account of a tremendous snowstorm, came in the first of the new term instead of end of the last, as was intended; - 'We' have had a famous donation party, which with the bustle preceding, and the confusion following, turned the house upside down for nearly a week eight or ten ladies here to help arrange, set tables, wash dishes - it came off in elegant style, worthy of any city, there seems to be a very good society here yet free from that slavery to aristocracy, and mere form that exists in Bangor.

Written upside down at the top: You think I am quite at the extreme well I suppose, but, in reality I am just in the centre of the country; Maine at one extremity and California at the other; you know 'in media' est veritas!!!