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Camden S.C. Feb' 28th 1866
Your loving epistle received
only a week or two since, my own
sweet friend, was the source of more
comfort to me than I can express: & to
show you my very warm appreciation
of it, intend giving you this early
reply: Your friendship is the sweetest
solace I have in this dark hour of
sorrow & as you have said, "let not
prudence ever interfere, but always
write what is uppermost": I shall
hereafter write unreservedly every
feeling of my aching heart & I know
I shall feel better for confiding them
to you than keeping them pent up
in my own breast: you have given
me permission, darling friend, to call
you what I would prefer, but I almost
fear to do so, lest you should think