on many a steadfast friend.
But let us now return to the letter, which ran as follows:
PORTLAND, _June_ 28, 18--.
DEAR COUSIN: Your letter of the 16th of last month was duly
received, and, I suppose, you think it is about time for me
to answer it. They say that a person who is good at making
excuses is good for nothing else; but, I suppose, you will
expect some apology for my seeming neglect. You perhaps
remember hearing your mother speak of James Sherman, a cousin
whom we had never seen. About two weeks since, father
received a letter from his mother, stating that she and James
would be at our house in about three days. Well, they came
agreeably to notice, and I have had the pleasure of
entertaining our cousin ever since. I have had to pilot him
around, and show him all the sights, and I have had time for
nothing else.
I will not tell you what sort of a fellow he is; I will leave
you to judge of his general character, etc. He and his mother
are now on their way to Lawrence, and they expect to be at
your house about the 6th (July). They intend to remain about
two weeks. When I saw them getting into the train, and knew
that in a few days they would be with you, I wanted very much
to accompany them. But mother says _one_ noisy boy in the
house is sufficient. (I wonder whether she means you or
James!) But as soon as they have ended their visit, if
nothing happens, you may expect to see our family landing
from the Julia Burton, some fine morning. I have been pent up
in the city now almost six months, and I am impatient to get
into the country again--especially among the trout-streams
about your quiet little village.
I have often thought of the sport we had the day we went up
to Dungeon Brook. I know it rained hard, but the string of
trout we caught beat any thing of the kind I ever happened to
see.
But I've got some good news for you. Father has decided to
spend part of the winter at Uncle Joe's, and he promises to
take you and me with him; so you can begin to pack up your
duds as soon as you wish.
That trout-pole you made for me last winter met with a
serious accident a few days since. One of my schoolmates
invited me to go up the river with him, and try a perch-bed
he had accidentally discovered. I had sent
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