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Wednesday 18th Oct. 19th I would say /52. A great frost last night + very sunny + pleasant this morning. Stephenson spent last evening with us, Capt. of F. O. J. Smith's engineering party, which will probably make their trespass upon a field this forenoon. Dr. Coolidge + Sabin went away last Saturday very privately, + it is supposed they have started for [underlined] California [underlined]. The reason why they did not go in a more open manner, was, probably, the indebtedness of the doctor which he was made to discharge. I really pity him. He has labored a long time; he is now well advanced in years, + infirm, + needs a [?] for retirement and rest. It is hard for him to emigrate to new + distant climates; to suffer the perils of the voyage + of the change, to unite into competition among strangers, + sharpen, for a livelihood+ for something to pay his debts. He has left behind, a little motherless daughter, for whose comfortable support, + education, he must feel anxious to provide. Poor old fellow. I could cry for him. He has tried to be somebody, + to have something. He has been unfortunate. He has failed in his undertaking to accumulate property - met with losses [underlined] instead of gains [underlined], + has lost what he infinitely more valued than any amount of money - a wife whom he loved above all earthly objects, his best friend, most faithful counselor, the chosen, cherished companion of his life, the dearest part of himself. And now under a pressure of all these adversities, he goes away to such a bitter fortune in a remote land where desperadoes are scrambling for gold. I pity him, I say.

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