To Mrs. J.G. Holland
From ED

July 1880

Dear friend,

While Little Boys are commemorating the advent of their Country, I have a Letter from "Aunt Glegg" saying "Summer is nearly gone," so I thought I would pick a few Seeds this Afternoon and bid you Good bye as you would be off for Winter. I think Persons dont talk about "Summer stopping" this time o' year, unless they are inclement themselves.

I wish you would speak to the Thermometer about it - I dont like to take the responsibility.

Perhaps you never received a Note I sent you or you would have answered the little questions was in it?

It was not about the "promised Messiah -"

The Weather is like Africa and the Flowers like Asia and the Numidian Heart of your "Little Friend" neither slow nor chill -

The Road to Paradise is plain,
And holds scarce one.
Now that it is not firm
But we presume
A Dimpled Road
Is more preferred.
The Belles of Paradise are few -
Not me - nor you -
But unsuspected things -
Mines have no Wings.

You see I have been delayed - but we will begin where we left off -

Austin and I were talking the other Night about the Extension of Consciousness, after Death and Mother told Vinnie, afterward, she thought it was "very improper."

She forgets that we are past "Correction in Righteousness -"

I dont know what she would think if she knew that Austin told me confidentially "there was no such person as Elijah."

I suppose Doctor is catching Trout and Convalescence and wish I could meet them both at Breakfast - and bid my very little Sister a most sweet Good Night -