colby_fam_b2_f33_d06_f01

Home Nest Oct 4th 1858

Cousin Emily

I hope you will not be frightened by
my unceremnious entrance, nor at this strnge, unfashionable
sheet of foolscap, for it is an emblem of myself in some long
respects, or will be when I've blotted it over for you; so you
will readily imagine that I can boast of neither beauty of person
or refinement of manners; but that my heart is large and
capacious, with widely extended sympatheties, and room
enough to admit strangers as friends, if they can only
whisper the watchwords of kindred thoughts, hopes and
aspirations, and bring with them the golden keys of love
and friendship. If these are yours, just "walk in and
take a cheer," as we country folks say, and "make yourself
to hum". But really, I fear when you come to look
around the plain unornamented apartment in which you
will find yourself if you seek my friendship, that you
will feel more than ever like the poor little pussy cat,
perhaps I should say, juvenile specimen of the feline
race." in a strange attic", and manifest an inclination
to beat a hasty retreat, So I give you fair warning, that if
once you become entangled in the web of a correspondence
with me, I shall not let you off very easily, but shall pursue
you, armed with quill and inkstand, and discharge its
contents with unerring certainty at your heart, or head. Are
you prepared? And dare you brave the consequences? If
so I'll proceed. If not you may consider all rest of this
strnge sheet as blank paper, and consign it to the
relentless flames without one sly, Eve like glance at its
contents.