[Chicago—Friday, 8 October 1875]

Friday. Heard brother Robert’s voice early at the door, ready to speed the parting guests. We left their hospitable door at nine o’clock.

How many new delightful stories dear brother Robert had conjured up and how he laughed over them and enjoyed them with us!! Jamie has put him up to writing his life in the form of an autobiography intermingled with sermons and other work of his mature life—to be published by the Hartford Publishing Co. His family is an expensive one, his dear sick boy Rob. must need for nothing which he does not have, he has a daughter about to be married and altogether he needs what he can make. His people do not wish to spare him to lecture, therefore this seems the best method to raise money for himself which somebody else will gather up if he does not. His sweet manly character is a continual sweetness to the turbid atmosphere of western life. He does not reproach his wife nor cast even one reproachful thought her way, because she will drop her hs while he by a strong effort has overcome the early habit of his people.

Mrs Collyer has a sister who came to America about 2 years ago, married and has settled on a farm about 50 miles away. She dropped down for a visit the day after our arrival. She, too, dropped her hs; but dear brother did not lay it to heart but treated his sister in as kind and warm a manner as a brother should. Still he does not exactly find all the intellectual refreshment he longs for in his daily life, therefore it was a gladness to him, I am sure, to have Jamie turn up. His youngest daughter Annie is a wonderful little creature. The very spirit of devotion seems to have broken loose in her. She serves her mother and father, her brother & sisters & his little niece with a sweet serious loving devotion most extraordinary in a child of her years. She is now 15.

We came into Beloit, Wis. at 2 P.M. After dinner we walked about the town which is really a lovely place. It was a consolation to us to see such comfortable homes and such a delightful autumnal glory shining over them all, at this far point. We stopped to ask the name of a tree with which we were unfamiliar. Two sweet ladies with intelligent kindly faces came to speak with us about it and although they could not solve the problem, their sincere interest in the subject was pleasant to witness.

Pretty as this little town is we propose to leave it at ten minutes before five tomorrow morning rather than lose a day by lingering here.


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