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                                                                                                                                   Milo Jan. 15th 1844.

My Dear Brother-

                  I recieved your most acceptable epistle last night, for which I am very much obliged. A sheet and 1/2 well filled with interesting matter; I will cheerfully take back a part, at least, of my rebuke on the score of "letter writing."
                  I have also this year written to Mother and Joseph. You seem to almost envy Charles & I our happiness at home: and I acknowledge that home, "sweet home" is the best of all places, be it never so homely. We have some "cogie," nice times here, these long evenings, but still there seems to be something lacking. Once in a while, I cannot help thinking that we should be happier if one of the loved absent brothers, or the dear, dear Mother could step in and spend an evening with us. However, it is next to seeing them to recieve good, long, loving letters from them. We cannot expect, in this world, to be situated, for any length of time, as to enjoy uninterrupted happiness - there is always something to mar our enjoyment; and it is best for us that it should be so. If it were not, we should soon become so completely engrossed with our worldly cares and pleasures as to forget, in a great measure the higher duties which we owe to our Heavenly Father. You express fears for Charles,  that he is resting on the wrong foundation, etc. I also fear for him, and have felt many times that I ought to say something to him. But I am myself so far out of the way - he sees in me so much that is wrong and so little of that lively engagedness and interest in the cause of Religion which the Christian should daily manifest, that it seems as thought it would, be almost hypocrisy in me to talk to him on the subject and besides I cannot talk with him about anything as with either of the other brothers. I don't know why, hardly. He is good & kind & clever. I wish you