1852 July 12, Woodbourne, to Ruthanna Cope

              Woodbourne 7th mo 12th 1852

Dear Annie,

This is the first sheet of that ream of paper, but for fear thee should be appalled with the anticipation of having the whole of it filled up to thy account, I am going to tell thee in the first place that I ai'nt going to be quite so unconscionable tho' I wont promise how I far I shall short of it.  I thought maybe you would like to know something about my gettings along on my journey, so I will begin at Pottstown up to which place you are informed of what transpired.  Well after taking the last look at you, I turned round & felt a little forlorn at finding nothing but my carpetbag to keep me company, so as I had nobody to talk to (I was very glad I had'nt) I thought I would occupy myself with thinking about you & wondering how you were getting along.  Directly after we started we came whizzing past a train of cars, which I supposed were the ones wh. were to convey you back to Philada.  I was very glad to see them because I knew you would be & I was afraid you might have had to wait there a good while, but it was'nt very pleasant to think that we were speeding away from each other as fast as we could go.  I hope you did'nt feel as [worn] & dusty when you got to Phila as I did when I reached Port Clinton I had'nt much time to think about it however for I had to go quite in traveller like style & superintend as well as I could amid the bustle & din the transportation of our baggage from one car to another, that seen to, I joined my companions & we