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Mound Hill, August 30th,'74. My dear Brother: Here I am again with a very good morning for you. I trust you are enjoying
yourself this pleasant day. Are you still sitting writing from morning till night, or are you free again, wandering among
the rocks and mountains, working out a theory for yourself and all the world as to how all the different marks were made on
the rocks, also where all the bowlders lying here and there came from, and how they came, and how the valleys, ridges, and
gorges were made hundreds of thousands of years ago. Oh dear, oh dear, no wonder you have had to stay away so long in Cal.
I fear you will be a long time in getting through yet. Well, my dear brother, I have read the two chapters of your glacial
studies you sent us with much interest. It is indeed no easy task you have in hand, but to a mind like yours, there will be
great pleasure connected with your labors. I trust you will be well remunerated in more ways than one, ere long. The summer
seems to have flown again. It looks very like fall already. The season has been so very dry the leaves are falling around
the dooryard and others are growing brown, and all the different hues that precede their decay. We seem to have had an extremely
busy summer, each one more weary and thankful for the Sabbath rest than another. I have managed, however, to pay a visit to
your hollow at the back of the Mound Hill. But, oh John, the little Lake was minus Page lost from letter Mary has been
home on a flying visit. I believe she came on Saturday and went off on next Monday. I did not see her, but hear that she was
in excellent spirits. She has a class in painting, her hostess being one of her pupils. She has her board free for helping
a little about housework. I believe she thinks of taking lessons in portrait painting, and so may not be home all winter.
Annie has just finished her summer school and has been away visiting at Waupun. She is home to Portage again and is pretty
well. Sarah Muir Galloway