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Monday Evening Apr, 9th, 1860 Dear Sister Abby: I was going to write you a good long letter and Charles one, but as Emily has just sent up one to be mailed "West" and as she has probably narrated all current events up to this date, I guess I'll forbear you a little while and just snatch the opportunity to thank you and Charles each for your last kind letters and assure you that all the items shall in due time be expatiated upon. I thank you also Abby for your repeatedly unclear invitations to visit page torn and I assume you each new invitation creates in me a new desire to go were it at all con???? page torn mother at present unless she is much better than she now is - I'm sorry to say she is not any better perhaps not quite as well - Sometimes she feels sad and Thinks her time with us is short - She has said to to-day several times. And I fear unless she gets better soon - she never will - She speaks of you and Charles often - Sometimes she says she never expects to see you again - And then she get's over it and is very cheerful - She is exceedingly Thin and poor only her body is much bloated about her bowels and chest - She suffers at times a great deal - And yet - she Keeps about and does some chores and Knits a great deal - She generally lies down every day - sometimes several times - And I feel unclear I wanted to be close by her all the time - so I can run and wait upon her whenever she wishes me to - I shall not teach this summer - and probably