RK-290

Alton April 26^th/1857.

Friend Robert

Your letter of date December 7^th is before ^me, and on glancing at the first paragraph, I see an apology for your delay. What then shall I say, who have neglected so long to answer a letter which pleased me very much and to a friend whom I very much esteem? You have not for a moment, I hope, thought me in a state of offended dignity, for I assure I seldom get in so uncomfortable a state mind as dignity.

We have had more sickness, in our own, and sisters families than ever before; and as Mother has been gone much of the time, my time and thoughts have been so much taken, that I could hardly find a minute when I could set down to think and write. Mother is just recovering from a three weeks attack of the chills and hired man from the Quinsey. (I don't know as that is spelt right) At one time, there was one sick, in the room, you occupied, one in the sitting room, one in the parlor, hired girl in her room, and one the boys holding his head in the kitchen. I must satisfy my vanity enough to add that, they are all about well and I was their Doctor, and nurse. More than this, I have been expecting to go to Chicago this long while, and even

now have every thing arranged to go next Wednesday, still as something has so often prevented, and I fear may again; I will write a little, if only to tell you that I meant to have done so long ago, and that you are none the less remembered, that I have not.

Your circulars, of the Northwestern University has been received, and I believe have been studied and talked over as much as you could wish. The boys have caught, three snakes, and three lizards, all different, and I believe are going to send them when I go up. I must confess that I am a coward, about catching them, and it takes no small amount of moral courage, in me, to get a few spiders that I have bottled. I always had an antipathy to them, that I find it almost impossible to overcome.

You say you "would accept my permission to correspond, if I could take any interest in the ideas of one who will constantly shock society's sense of propriety," why you could have hardly said anything that would have made your correspondence, more valuable to me, for I do like anything out of the old path, that one sees and treads every day, so that the most delicate compliments seem fulsome, the most nicely finished sentences insipid. I like to be "shocked" as you express it, and anticipate much pleasure in hearing

from you. By the way, we have made one grand discovery, in our entomological investigations, which is a petrified egg, or what has to us the appearance of one; found in the cave where the Piasa Bird, says the legend, carried his victims and built his eyrie. There is a story here, current, that if it could be penetrated far enough, a large roomy cavern would be found, with the relics of men and animals in it, which the wonderful anthropophagi feed upon.

Whether [page torn] ver true tale "or not none can tell; but [page torn] is an egg, which may have been lef [page torn] old French missionaries, or graced the table of the brave but unfortunate De Soto, or a bona fide relic of some wonderful bird of antediluvian times. It is in Mothers possession, and she intends sending it by me, that some of the more knowing ones, may decide whether it is a natural curiosity or a - humbug. We are intending to get all the specimens we can, and will send them, though I am affraid they will be of little or no value to you, and only be a trouble as we do not know anything about classifying, and arranging them. But already it has been a source of much pleasure and profit, and learned us many things, we never dreamed of, about the wondrous mechanism of our beautiful world.

The flowers you sent us, are all doing finely and enclosed I send you the first crocus, that blossomed and the first spring beauty I found on the hill side back of the orchard ^{by the fair ground}. I picked them two weeks ago. The crocus I kept in water in Mothers room, so that it did not press very well. Of the amount of pleasure your plants have given us, you could hardly guess, unless you like us have, tried and tried to have fine ones, and always lost them till now. I thin[page torn] all you sent are up, but not so forward as [page torn] have been without the cold weather. I hope [page torn] lants are not injured, and if I am in [page torn] tulip beds are in bloom I shall be tempted to go out to see them "nolens volens."

I hope I shall see ^you often while I am visiting sister, though Tim tells me, you are gone, on scientific researches much of the time. Should they lead you this way, you must certainly come and see us. I hope your father is better than when you wrote, give him my best respects, and Mother would join me, were she not in "dream land" long ago. Give my hearty thanks to your brother for the flowers and tell how much pleased I am with them. I believe too we were to have another game of chess, when I came up. I see Mr Bragdon's and Frank's names in the "Prairie Farmer" (which I read all through) my compliments to them. Hoping to see you soon, or if not hear, I remain

Yours respectfully Lizzie Fitch.