Transcription:
4 with many a repentant word for his past illegible atination, and a promise that each year should be the threshold of home
be pressed by his returning footsteps and that at least a monthly document from his hand should be placed in the hand of the
home circle. Therefore a more hopeful goodbye was said, and again his face was turned from home. For a time, they were cheered
by the frequent arrival of messengers so welcome, and so heartily received and per illegible ed, when written by the loved
and absent, But alas for the frailty of human nature; again their number began sadly to decline, to wane, to grow fewer, and
shorter; and soon the anniversary of his visit home arrived, and his return was expected, but expected in vain, those sisters
wondered and surmised; surmised and wondered why he made not his appearance, plans, projects, and adventures welled up in
their minds, which they longed to pour into the confiding ear of a brother; but even worse then this, letters left that circle
for him which received no response; and at this time three or four months have fled by and brought no messenger from Michigan.
Written by the Right Hand 1 Hickory Hill, Apr. 16th 1867. Take Notice Away in the depths of the far western forests;
remote from the haunts of civilization, where the original inhabitants of the woods held undisputed sways slumbered a peaceful
little lake; upon its borders as if by magic there arose a fonderous structure, such as had never before been seen in those
parts, and forth with the steel of the pioneer was heard and the mighty monarchs of the forest bowed low and kissed the earth
beneath its spell; but a still more wonderous phenomenon then all this appeared, from the glassy surface of that little lake
were reflected, the features of a juvenile fraternal land, Years rolled by on the wings of time, and still the illegible of
light smiled upon the same scene, unchanged since that the forests still yielded to the hand of the C illegible - ian, calling
forth the smile of satisfaction and gratitude for the wealth of golden grain which raised its head in its place; still that
land of brother and sister was unbroken; still the shouts of glee and peaks of laughter reached or echoed? from cliff, and
hillside, - But time is but illegible name for change, and naught can withstand illegible iron?