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1 in margin: I read a scotch paper 1867 Indp'l's Feb 11th Dear sisters Mary Anna I believe that of all my cor- respondents
- you Joanna are the only ones that give me more letters than I return. I read books gather flowers work with think with so
much machinery that I have only a little time to write even to my own dear sisters. I am sorry Mary that your letter together
with your photograph was lost. I guess that the Mr John Muir who lives here had opened it, and when he found so good a scotch
face with his own good name of Muir, he said, 'Stay with me sweet lass' You will go illegible farther, but you must send another
Mary I will send mine soon as I can sit still long enough 2 to have it taken. I do not know Mary that I was ever celebrated
in song before, but everybody has heard of Highland Mary . I used to write rhyming letter but now that I am becoming practical
my metre would illegible like this Mary pary rix tix tary I believe it is natural for all to speak in verse some time or other
in life. You remember that earn our pladding, pract- ical, illegible , Dave used to write love soft sentiment, in gentle song
when enjoyed in stable duties or cutting grub or when enjoyed in illegible shrewed illegible house illegible trades with father,
- But all fun aside I really think that for people who are not born illegible to spend much time in making verse is unwise
- , still some good results from it for people thus in margin: Mary you must excuse me for not sending you rhyme for rhyme.
Yours is firstrate.