The Man Who Rescued "The Captain"

Letters edited by

ALICE SUMNER LE DUC

CLIVER WENDELL HOLMES tells us, in his narrative entitled “My Hunt after ‘The Captain,'" that when he received the telegram which told him of his son’s wound and his whereabouts, and which he quotes as follows: “Captain H-wounded shot through the neck thought not mortal at Keedysville William G. Leduc,” one of his first reflections — his momentary, interjectional reflection — was “Leduc? Leduc? Don’t remember that name.” Then he thought no more about “Leduc,” but about starting on what was to be a protracted search for his son.

Recent examination of our family papers brought to light some correspondence between my father, General William Gates Le Duc, and the Holmeses, both father and son. My father, an early Minnesota pioneer — with an Ohio as well as a New England background — and a volunteer in the Union Army, had long been an enthusiastic admirer of Holmes’s work. And while, with his tireless energy and ready helpfulness, he would gladly have rendered to any other man the service he rendered to young Holmes, it must have given him an especial satisfaction to assist the son of the author who had given him so much enduring pleasure.

From the unpublished volume of recollections that my father has left to his family I extract his brief account of what he was able to do for Captain Holmes, whom he found unattended just after the battle of Antietam, September 17, 1862: —

“I had taken Captain O. W. Holmes, Jr., in charge. A surgeon, who had looked at his wound and found that the ball had entered his neck, shook his head when I urged him to give attention to Holmes, and said his duty was to try to save those who had a chance of recovery — that Holmes had none.

“Then I said: ‘Tell me what to do for him.’

“ ‘Wash off the blood, plug up the wound with lint, and give him this pill of opium’ — handing me a little brown pill — ‘and have him keep quiet.’

“I put my arm around him, and got him into the first vacant house [that is, not occupied by soldiers] I came to, and told the woman of the house to bring down the softest bed she had, as there was no bed on the lower floor, and I thought it better for him to be on the ground floor; and when she objected to bringing down any of her feather beds, I told her I would take the place for a hospital, and turn the family out; this threat was sufficient, and the good feather bed was made ready on the floor, and I washed and bandaged the wound, and gave me pill, and left him in care of the family. While fixing him up, and washing the wound, I noticed that the ball had struck the middle seam of his coat squarely, and was amazed at his escape from instant death, but as he seemed cheerful, and amused himself with jokes, saying: ‘Shot in the neck [Army slang for being drunk] — disgraceful for a temperance man!’ and: ‘I’m glad it’s not a case for amputation, for I don’t think you’d be equal to it, Le Duc,’ and: ‘Say, Le Duc, do you think it will be good for a ninety-day leave?’ I thought possibly the surgeon was wrong, and that the boy’s vitality might carry him through. So, in making up my telegram to send to his father, Doctor Holmes — lecturer on anatomy in Harvard Medical School — I ran it over mentally in several ways, and finally decided on: ‘Captain wounded, shot through the neck, thought to be not mortal’ and sent it to Doctor Holmes, Boston.”

Doctor Holmes tells us he considered, after reading the telegraphic message, that “thought not mortal” was better than “not thought mortal” would have been; and, with this more hopeful arrangement of the three words in his mind by way of encouragement, he went on the journey of which the vicissitudes and anxieties are known to us through his Atlantic Monthly story, first published in the issue of December, 1862.

Here is the earliest of Doctor Holmes’s letters to my father: —

BOSTON, NOV. 21 st, 1862
Lt. Colonel Wm. G. Le Duc
Chief Quartermaster 11th Army Corps
Washington, D.C.
MY DEAR SIR:—
Your letter to my son was opened by his mother after his departure for the field of action, which I hope he has reached before this time. As she read it to me, I shall make bold to answer it briefly. In the first place the Captain is, or was when he went, in excellent condition. His wound has been for some time entirely healed and has left nothing except some neuralgic pains which are disappearing, and I think will quit him entirely in due time.
In the second place I wish to express to you personally my deep sense of obligation for the extraordinary promptitude with which you notified me on the very night of the great battle that he was wounded, and how, and where he was, as well as for your kind attentions to him, for which he and all of us shall always be grateful. I am sure that you must be one of those men who do their duty and more than their duty, as if it were, as it no doubt has become, their pleasure. It rejoices me therefore to hear that you have risen to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, and if you go on as you seem to have begun, I do not see where you will stop until you wear your buttons in platoons and have Colonels under you. Neither do I think any the worse of you for confessing a slight fancy for some of my own literary attempts. In fact I like you all the better for that weakness, and if I only knew how to get one of my little “blue and golds” to you with any reasonable certainty I would send you one of my author’s copies with great delight — and will do it whenever I find what seems a sure channel.
My Captain was at Washington when I last heard of him, en route for camp which he had, or has, as much trouble in finding as I had in finding him as you may see by the last Atlantic Monthly if that periodical falls within your range of vision.
Renewing my very sincere thanks to you, and reminding you that the little book shall come whenever you will tell me how it shall come, I am
Yours very sincerely,
O. W. HOLMES

My father, wishing to give the pleasure of the gift thus offered to the eldest of his little girls, — who had been enthusiastically memorizing and reciting the poems, — wrote, in reply to this letter, asking that the book be sent to her instead of to himself. The answer to this request follows, written, as are all the letters of this period from Doctor Holmes, on most ladylike stationery, glazed, and with “21 Charles St.” in raised letters at the top of the sheet, which is small, as is the envelope — the latter having a fancifully curved edge to its flap, on which an ornamental Old English H is embossed.

BOSTON, Dec. 26th, 1862
MY DEAR SIR:—
I have just sent a copy of my Poems, as you requested, to your daughter at Mt. Vernon, Ohio. It ought to have been in season for Christmas — it will be in time for New Year. I send you one of my photographs to remind you that I remember your kind offices with the gratitude I have before tried to express to you.
Yours very truly,
O. W. HOLMES

My mother, with her children, was staying at Mt. Vernon, Ohio, with her own family during the war. Doubtless my father sent Doctor Holmes a letter of thanks for the little book — which had been joyfully received by my eldest sister, and which is still properly treasured —— as soon as he heard of its arrival. A letter written by my mother at the time reports that “a pretty letter” had been written by the little girl to the poet when the book reached her. Doctor Holmes wrote again to my father in January: —

BOSTON, Jan. 11th, 1863
MY DEAR SIR:—
Two successive trips, the first to New York, the second to Philadelphia, have used up the last fortnight, and I have consequently a heap of unanswered letters, of which I take yours first for various reasons — among the rest its great vivacity and interest, and the fact that I forgot to enclose the portrait I promised. I think the omission occurred to me too late, but I forgot all about it in the hurry of my two visits. I will repair it this time. . . .
My second visit — to Philadelphia — was to see my Captain, who was down with bad dysentery at one time and was sent to hospital to get rid of the diarrhea and other troubles which remain. I found him looking better than some accounts I had had led me to fear, and in good spirits as he always is when in tolerable bodily condition. He is paying board at Camac’s Woods Hospital, but really staying at Mr. Hallewell’s, which is the best hospital in the world, as General Dana, Colonel Palfrey, and my son are ready to swear. I suppose he will go back to camp in the course of a week or two. He returned last time before his leave of absence had expired — perhaps too soon, for he was taken sick before long. However, if he had not been sick, he would very likely have been shot at Fredericksburg, which was the first battle of his regiment he ever missed.
I can’t tell you how much your letter pleased me — so perfectly real and life-like. I got a better idea of camp life from it than from anything I have yet read — one aspect of camp life, that is, with all its accidents, interruptions, intrusions. You could not have written half so well but for the very things which seemed to consoire against your writing at all. The “letter written under difficulties” is a model letter, so artless that it becomes thoroughly artistic. I will tell you what it suggests, of course in a slighter way — I mean Church’s 5 1/2 hour picture of Niagara which I saw at Goupil’s the other day. Just as that gets the froth and scramble of the waters, so your letter dashed off in that sudden way has all the splash and bubble of active life. . . .
Don’t scold me because I am not better looking —• I think my boy is a great improvement on the original pattern. I hope I shall have the pleasure of taking you by the hand some day and saying to you how many thanks you deserve for your kindness and interest in me and him.
Very sincerely yours,
OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES

BOSTON, July 27th, 1863
MY DEAR CAPTAIN-COLONEL:—
My address — Oration, rather — is going through the press, and as soon as it is delivered to me you shall have a copy. In the meantime I send you a tolerably correct newspaper copy, which, if you have eyes and patience, you may worry through before you get the other. The “Captain” is at home, with a bullet-hole in his os calcis, vulgo heel, but doing well enough, only that he is lame. He would send you a message I don’t doubt, only he is upstairs doing the polite to some lady visitors. Thank you for sending for my Oration. If you don’t get the pamphlet copy within a week or two, write again and I will try again to reach you with it.
Very truly,
Your obliged friend,
O. W. HOLMES

There is a brief note from the Captain, undated, written in a bold hand, with a much heavier pen than his father used: —

DEAR COLONEL:—
I owe you many apologies for my neglect in not paying my lawful debts sooner. I might offer you excuses, but I won’t, and will own up to my ingratitude, and beg you to forgive me. I am still at home with [wound] No. 3, and don’t find it a great hardship.
With renewed thanks for your kindness to me, I am
Yours sincerely,
O. W. HOLMES

The two following letters, written by my father to Doctor Holmes, were returned to him many years later by Doctor Holmes’s secretary.

CATLETT’S STA., VA., Aug. 17, 1863
MY DEAR DOCTOR:—
A few days since, as I was sitting in my tent, a little old man came by whose peculiarities attracted everybody’s attention. His hat had been a silk stovepipe tile; it was now sadly worn, bruised, and battered, cracked around the top, the rim partly detached, — utterly worn out. The coat was of bombazine or Preacher’s cloth — drap d’été or whatever it is called by the trade — worn and rent and mended and split like a locust on the back, and drawn together and darned as well as might be over the stooped shoulders of the little old man. His pantaloons of the same material, but split and sewed up in the crotch until the crotch had gotten halfway to his knees. His shoes are — well, no matter, I learned that they are not his — they were borrowed so I had a pair of shoes put in the cart for him. The cart in which he came was equally a curiosity with himself. A wretched anatomy of a half-grown, half-starved horse, in a light road cart with a high body. His face had a childish simplicity, but was evidently a scholar’s face, and expressive; and I was not surprised to learn that he was a D.D., and as full of learning as an egg is of meat. It was a surprise and pleasure to talk with the little old man, whose memory is so remarkable, and, although a rebel, yet he evidently is not actually so much a rebel as he seems in his notes to your oration. I was reading your oration when he called upon me. He remarked that he had not seen a new book or magazine or pamphlet for a long time, but that he was forced to confine himself to his own old books and to employ his time by writing a history of his times.
His family consists of Wife and two daughters, one 19 and one 17. The elder daughter reads readily 7 languages and speaks fluently 5, so I am told. The younger is also a scholar. He married one of the numerous and wealthy Carter family, and until the war they have been rich; they are now bordering on starvation — as indeed are all the people left in this neighborhood.
Since commencing this letter I have been called upon by a Miss Marsteller, who brought a few pats of sour curds, and a jug or two of milk, and cucumbers to the Union soldiers, . . . begging for permission to purchase a little sugar or coffee or flour. If they take the oath of allegiance they may buy of the Commission — 5 day rations at one time.
Well, the old man wanted something to read. I loaned him your oration, with the understanding that he should write such notes upon it, as he read it, as the oration suggested, and send them to me, which he has done. I don’t know whether the criticism will interest you enough to read it •—but I send it, with the request that it be remailed to me, as I wish to put it among my files of remembrances of the war.
Yours truly, WM. G. LE Duc

On the margin of the preceding letter, in Doctor Holmes’s delicate hand, written very minutely, is the notation: “Le Duc Wm G. Catlett’s Station Va. A very poor & learned clergyman.”

LOOKOUT VALLEY, April 29, 1864
MY DEAR DOCTOR:—
On looking over and sorting out my papers previous to marching from this place where we have been all winter, I find a package which I supposed had gone to you long since. I send it now thinking it may interest you a little, and enclose stamps to cover the postage to Mt. Vernon, Ohio, to which place I beg you to direct it after you shall have done with it. Direct to Mrs. Wm. G. Le Duc — Mt. Vernon, Ohio.
Be pleased to present my compliments to “the Captain” when you write him. I heard before leaving Va. that he was killed at Gettysburg, but an officer of the 33rd Mass., which Reg. is in this command, assures me it is not so. I rejoice to hear it, and hope he may live through this cursed war, and to the end of a long life reap the honor of his gallantry and patriotism.
I am with the old commander of the Army of the Potomac, Gen. Hooker, who is the ablest military man I have yet seen and served with. Be assured of that. You know that Broadwick and Hooker made California a free state. His whole heart is in this matter, hence the Copperheads revile and abuse him; he is a very able military man, hence ambitious men envy and traduce him — or wink at it. He is honorable and high-minded and speaks his mind freely, hence men who don’t understand him are captious and fault-finding. He is of fair complexion and rosy cheeks, and sometimes hesitates in his choice of words, hence the suspicious are certain he is a drunkard. I believe it is generally conceded by those of his friends in the states who don’t know him personally that he is intemperate, and perhaps even you will be astonished to learn that Gen. Hooker is a very temperate man. I have had opportunities of intimate knowledge for many months, and I assure you that at no time and under no circumstances have I known him to indulge in liquor or wines to excess. He is a gentleman, and par excellence a Soldier. But I am scrawling verbosely and will quit, subscribing myself truly your friend,
WM. G. LE Duc

On the margin of this letter Doctor Holmes has written — again very minutely — “Le Duc Wm. G. Head Quars 20th Army Corps, Lookout Valley. Interesting about Genl. Hooker.”

2

IN 1878 Doctor Holmes wrote the following letter, having received one from my father which I fancy contained an invitation to some meeting that had to do with agriculture, and which had been accompanied by a present of some American-grown tea. My father was at that time at the head of the Department of Agriculture in Washington, and enthusiastically interested in his work.

“BEVERLY FARMS,” MASS., Aug. 15th, 1878
DEAR MR. LE Duc: —
I do not at this moment remember whether I ought to address you as General or by any other military title, but you will pardon my ignorance.
My special claim to the invitation you send me is obviously due to the fact that I write from the place known as Beverly Farms. Our farming consists of several red-painted tubs of flowers, with three small beds of ditto, in which we raise a crop of nasturtium and geranium blossoms entirely for domestic consumption. I was once the owner of a large farm in which I used to sow dollars and dimes broadcast, and raise nickels in considerable number when the season was favorable. But I have forgotten most of what I then knew, and could hardly tell a beet from a carrot, or know a field of buckwheat in flower, when I was standing to the leeward of it, from a — well no matter what I might very probably confound it with.
I thank you a thousand times for the polite invitation, but I never go anywhere, I may say, except when I have to hunt up one of my boys gone on a shooting excursion, as you may remember I once had to. As to the tea. I have hopes for the future, and after we have opened that box you were kind enough to send, I have no doubt that I shall believe in the vinous possibilities of the country — unless there is a general law passed against the process of fermentation.
Very truly yours,
O. W. HOLMES

The following delightful letter from Mr. H. O. Houghton, though not strictly a Holmes letter, bears on my subject: —

HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN & CO., PUBLISHERS

Successors to

J. R. OSGOOD & Co. AND HURD & HOUGIITON

BOSTON, Oct. 27, 1880
MY DEAR GEN. LE Duc: —
I have your two favors, the first complimentary to Dr. Holmes, the second supplementary to Mr. Longfellow. Dr. Holmes called just after I received the first, and I showed it to him, and he seemed much pleased. He always speaks of your telegram conveying the intelligence of the wounding of his son.
I have not shown your second letter to Mr. Longfellow, but I have [to] one member of my family, my eldest daughter, who seems to agree with you. But, of course, I do not. There are too many solid returns from the sale of his Poetry for me to regard it as froth. I respect, however, an honest opinion, even if it does not accord wit h my interests.
I trust you will succeed in your sugar experiments. When this country is able to supply all its own wants within its own domains, then it can afford to be generous to the rest of the world.
I was sorry to have missed your call when you were in Boston, and am Yours very truly,
H. O. HOUGHTON

BEVERLY FARMS, July 2, 1881
DEAR GENERAL LE Due: —
We have just got fixed up for the season in the country, and I am not able to report on the tea as yet, having brought so much work with me that I have not been able to look over my letters and pamphlets until now.
I shall carefully study your directions and refer the question to my tea-drinking lady-household, who, I think, are rather prejudiced in favor of the China kind which they have got used to, and to certain particular kinds of that.
If I can get a favorable report from them I shall be very happy to render it, but I do not want to force them or hurry them into an opinion, and if they stick to their old-fashioned notions I don’t think I shall say anything about it.
I thank you not only for putting me on the tea jury, but for the kind words about my writings. I hope they have made some few persons a little more cheerful, a little wiser, or less foolish at any rate, and nobody any worse. . . .
Yours very sincerely,
O. W. HOLMES

BEVERLY FARMS, MASS. Aug. 5d 1881
MY DEAR SIR:—
I hope you got my letter acknowledging the receipt of the tea, and promising to tell you how we liked it — if we liked it.
The Parlor Committee, Mrs. H—, my daughter (Mrs. Sargent), and myself report.
C too astringent — resembling green tea.
B less astringent, better liked.
A a good deal like C.
On the whole a decided improvement over last year’s specimens. But of course when put in competition with the expensive teas selected because they suit our special taste, it could hardly be expected that they would suit the fancy of tasters accustomed to their own chosen flavors in the imported leaves. The report from the kitchen was not unlike that from the parlor. B and C were considered the best — not much difference. These teas less like “ herbs ” than last year’s. They do not pretend to like any of them as well as the imported tea we give them.
All such trials do not prove what would be the verdict in the long run, for, as you know, people have to get used to many flavors before they can really like them. When American teas come into the market they will soon find their place in the scale of value, and it seems quite likely that repeated experiments will bring out varieties superior to any yet obtained, and perhaps equal to those of the countries where the plant has been long acclimated.
I thank you for the compliment you pay my writings. It adds a flavor to the tea you send me. . . .
Very truly yours,
O. W. HOLMES

3

THE following letter appears to have been written after a flying visit my father made to Boston in 1898. At this time Judge Holmes’s writing was less easily read than in his earlier years, and the date, as he wrote it, might be Jan. 7, or might be June 7, or— a little less probably — even March 7. I cannot be at all sure about it, but, January being first in the procession of the months, I assume, arbitrarily, that “Jan. 7” is correct, though I think it is quite as likely to have been June.
The fourteenth word in the text of this letter begins with b. That is quite certain. The next letter might be a or o, but I have a slight suspicion that it is a. Of the third letter I can only say that it would be a perfect i if there were a dot over it. — but there is not. After this there is a longish, rather horizontal but curved mark, resembling no letter whatever in our alphabet. I fancied this word might be bad because, while it did not look like bad, neither did it look like anything else, but in the middle of the night, inspiration told me that it was base, and I have so transcribed it.

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT

COURT HOUSE, BOSTON

Jan. 7, 1898
DEAR GENERAL:—
I am in despair to have missed you, and I think it was base conduct to give me so slim a chance. I did not get home till your train was starting. I would have given much to shake your dear old hand again, and so would Mrs. Holmes. It is pleasant to get such a cheerful-sounding line from you. I think the old fighters keep a pretty good front against the enemy. Afftly yours,
O. W. HOLMES

Three years later my father was again in Boston, this time for several days, and saw the Holmeses. Portions of his letters to my mother during these days follow, together with two notes from Judge Holmes: — BOSTON, Saturday, Dec. 28, 1901 5 O’c — dark

DEAR MARY:—
I arrived here an hour ago, and determined to go around to the old Boston Museum, where we, a long time ago, went to hear Adelaide Phillips and Wm. Warren, and the others, and for the memory of things and times past and gone I bought a ticket, and will see what is to be seen. In looking up the old place I passed by several low variety shows so called — fat women, snakes, vulgar pictures, and such things advertised in the street as in the olden time would have sent them all to the back bay, or to prison. Boston st reets never seemed so crooked and mean, and ihe pavements so narrow. . . .
I have mailed my card to Judge Holmes and suppose he will get it tomorrow morning sometime, unless there is no Sunday delivery of mail.
Now I will go down and see what kind of sea food can be had, and then to the theater at eight o’clock. . . .
WM. G. LE Due

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT

COURT HOUSE, BOSTON

Dec. 30, 1901
MY DEAR GENERAL: —
Welcome to Boston. Will you meet me at the ladies’ dining room at Parker’s today at 1§, or other such hour as you prefer, and lunch with me — then I can learn your plans, and how long you are to be here.
Sincerely yours,
O. W. HOLMES

Dec. 31, 1901
DEAR GENERAL:—
Will you dine with me at 296 Beacon St. next Saturday at 7 1/4? Also would you like me to ask the Governor for an invitation for you to the Inauguration on Thursday morning next?
Sincerely yours,
O. W. HOLMES

BOSTON, Jan. 3rd, 1902
DEAR MARY:—
As yesterday was the Inauguration day of the newly elected (it is his third term they elect annually in Mass.) governor, and as at the request of the Chief Justice I was invited by the Governor to be present, and his secretary was instructed to see that I had a prominent place assigned me, and as the marshal had like instruction, and when he came out with the procession he assigned an officer of the Court to take me in charge, behind the Supreme Court I marched in, and was seated with them on the left of the Governor. . . . Chief Justice Holmes sent a message to me to say he wished me to join the Judges at lunch after the services — which I did, of course, with pleasure, and we went down to a place on or facing on the common, on the street we used to travel up from Winter Street, passing the old Church on the corner, not far from the Riverside publishing house— Houghton, Mifflin & Co. — and up to the top of one of those old houses — in fact in under the very roof; we found a pleasant dining room already filled, or nearly so, with people; however a place was found for the Justices — Holmes and Mason, Lathrop, and Barker of the Supreme Court, and myself, as guest of the Chief Justice, at his right. Justice Barker seemed to be the Majordomo, and ordered what each one wished, and no one wanted more than a very light lunch in the middle of the day.
The Judges had all to go back to work, and I returned to my Hotel, where every attention is paid me since it was learned through the Messenger of the Supreme Court that Genl. Le Duc was stopping there — he who the Chief Justice says saved his life at the battle of Antietam — the manager and clerks and waiters have all caught on, and are alike attentive and deferential, which is all well enough until I find myself pointed out as a sort of White Elephant — an old fellow from an historical past, to be observed, and noted, and speculated upon and about. . . .
WM. G. LE Duc

BOSTON, Jan. 10th, 1902
DEAR MARY:—
The wretched weather here is too much for any white man, and I will flee from it by the train leaving here at 1 o’c. p.m. on the air line — if not today then tomorrow. . . . Lights in Hotel all lit up as is necessary although 10 1/2 A.M. Rain, snow, fog, east wind, and no comfort. I have a letter from Prof. Shephard this morning about Teas. I wrote him to send Mrs. Holmes some tea. . . .
Here I have no one but the Holmeses, who live ‘way off, and I have already called to say good-by to them. . . . The Judge proclaims t hat. I saved his life at Antietam, and our parting last night was, well — affectionate, — two old soldiers of former times, expecting never to meet again. . . .
WM. G. LE Duc

The last of Justice Holmes’s letters that I find, excepting one, was written in August of the following summer: —

BEVERLY FARMS, Aug. 10, 1002
DEAR GENERAL:—
Thank you for your kind words. I was sure of your kind thoughts beforehand. For you must feel the benevolence which the good Samaritan felt after he had poured in his oil and wine — or Papa Perrichon in the French play after rescuing his daughter’s lover from a crevasse. But it is a good deal more than that — for you have a generous heart, and are a faithful friend. My best wishes to you and yours in return.
Always sincerely yours,
O. W. HOLMES

Reading the foregoing letter taxed my father’s powers somewhat, as the condition in which I find iit shows. He took a pencil, and, as he read, wrote between the lines beneath each word its meaning when he had arrived at it — lest it should escape him again — in his own small and legible hand, but there were seven words that evidently defied him to the last, for those have nothing written under them. I have made them out, but I have been specially trained by correspondence wit h a lifelong friend who writes the worst hand in the civilized world. I can imagine the time and effort my fat her spent on those seven words, and his exasperation when he had to give them up in the end, for he never could see why people didn’t write so that one could read what they wrote. Justice Holmes was sure to hear about it, and did hear about it, as may be seen by his reply: —

BEVERLY FARMS, September 7, 1902
My Dear General: —
MY. WIFE, RECEIVED, THE. TEA. AND. WROTE, TO. YOU. WE. HAVE. BEEN, DRINKING. AMERICAN, TEA. EVER, SINCE. I. AM. SORRY, YOU. CANNOT, READ, WRITING. IT. IS. A. GREAT, CONVENIENCE, AND. I. WOULD. LEARN. IF. I. WERE. YOU. RATHER, THAN. SARCE. AN. OLD. FRIEND. WHO. NEVERTHELESS. IS. SINCERELY. YOURS. IF. YOU. CAN. MAKE. OUT. HIS. NAME. — O. W• Holmes