Albany N.Y. March 12.64

 

M^r James Sproul,

                                    Dear Sir, for some time past I have been thinking of writing a letter to you & at length I take up my pen to do so.

 

I have sent you some few documents from time to time to let you know that I had not forgotten you & have been much pleased to hear from you by way of the "Christian" of which I have duly received several numbers. Please accept my sincere thanks for them. They are very dear to me as mementos of my departed friend. I know that he prized them highy. When the Legislative / Session is over here I shall subscribe for them for a year.

 

I was down to New York a few weeks since & I regretted much my inability to come & see you or to cross to Brooklyn to see your son James. I went down on Saturday & came back on Monday. It is my intention to spend the coming summer in New York studying Phonography or shorthand & if I can it is my intention to call on you at Keyport before I commence my studies. I have a portrait of my beloved friend Jonathan from which it was my intention to have a large one painted but on second thought I concluded to wait & see if you had not a better one, / that I could have it painted from I tell you my dear sir that those highly prized letters which I receive no more cause a void in my correspondence which no one can fill. I went to New York with some of our old comrades & from them learned that Wilson had been home on furlough. I was very glad to learn this. It is a great consolation to know that you are not entirely bereft. O! may God grant you consolation my dear sir. Present my earnest sumpathy to M^rs Sproul & if not to great a tax please send me a letter soon. I have a very good berth in the Assembly here, that of Assist. P.M. My salary is $8.00 / per day & not much to do. I will close now hoping to hear from you soon. Direct to James Farmer Assembly, Albany N.Y.

 

                                                                                    Truly Yours,

                                                                                                Ja^s Farmer.

 

P.S. I take the liberty to enclose my Photograph thinking you might like to see it

                                                                                                J.F

 

I received the papers you sent. Many thanks. Please state how far it is from New York to Keyport.                                                   JF.

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