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San Jose, May 4th, 1878. Dear Mr. Muir: It was very good of you to send us your shadow. We shall prize it, I assure you.
Hattie has appropriated it, and places it on the music rack while she practices. Hope it will infuse some of your perseverance
into her. She is writing to you, with no one to prompt her in her effort-be so good as to imagine interesting matter of that
which is beyond your ken. Annie Chamberlain said, as she looked at the photo - how I do wish I had one. Can't you please
her as well as you have us? Mr. Allen returned from Nevada last evening. Had a half day in the woods and brought me a rare
fern - to us rare and pretty. Jessie has a long letter from Gracie Sterling. She is twenty-one years of age, and Charlie,
the tiny boy that we knew, is eighteen. It does not seem possible they are so far on the road of life. Mr. Muir, let me impress
upon your mind that we are to have a fine little maid of ? , even among the scaly pepper trees. Come again before long to
see my word prove true. Accept our good wishes, and drop us a line often. Yours truly, Abbie A. Allen