1869 July 31, Hopatcong, to Dear Wife, Philadelphia

              Hopatcong 7 mo 31, 1869Dear wife,We have come to the conclusion that Tom was like the men sent to the land of Canaan wh. brought back an evil report of the land. Hes an[?] were [?] look they have overcome & we have settled in the promised land much to our satisfaction. There are drawbacks. the family arrangements show a want of fence as we feared wd. be the case. but it’s a nice place for all. This morning the air feels like Catskill, Susquehanna Co, Lenox, or any other related[?] country air-- it was cool & bracing, felt like Cape Kings Newport air as if each breath was worth a shilling[?]. The view of the Lake from the house is that time helps  [?] so unlike Lake Winnipesaugee, that that respectable old lake need [?] been offended at being told there was a family likeness. Some of the more enthusiastic-- at  [?]-- of the party say it looks like the Hudson at West Point, but I dont see it in that light. But [?]