Transcription:
Greek and Shakespeare are my special pets. but just now I have a cruse for ascettaining the true inwardness of famous Bridger
the great pathsfinger from the Missouri is thr illegible . Tell me some char- actristic incident about him. The deaths of
my life-long friend Gen Alwood I heard of when I was lingering in Vienna. I was with Emerson who told me of his forsaking
you at the Big Trees which his party had enough of before your wonder had been fairly roused. Give us now a leaf of your
life..Tell me of wife. nice ones. in troubles.writings and studies. When shall we see you here again? Art here has advanced,
Nature could not. It is not a year since Kate Merrill to whom I introduced you in Indianapolis but we ought to write offe
ner. Today I am 71 years old. but am so well, that I must compute the age I cannot feel. With memories and hopes. yrs. James
D. Butler. 01223