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Haven P. O. Brooklin, Maine
August 14, '99 Monday.

My dear Francis
The enclosed letter came in the mail today & I send it to you by return mail.  I also write Mr Carman & Mr Small.
Well Laddie, surely you should be glad.  This is high praise that Mr Carman gives, and he is a competant critic - one of our best.  Note what he says, "if his ambition looks toward letters he need not be discouraged."  You can write, and if you will keep at it, you can make for yourself a name in letters, that is in literature.  I am very happy tonight thinking of your future.  It is now open to you.  It is a comfort to me to have my own judgment of you & your ability confirmed by one of our best judges, a literary man, one who makes literature a study.  It is what I have felt to be true of you, what I have desired for you & bent myself toward helping you to be. Altho I have never said much about it to you, desiring to effect it without your feeling that I was pushing you forward.
You see that Mr Carman rather desires more of the Indian life.  I have today in my letter spoken of your first plan, and of 
[[margin]] I do not wish to burden you, but write as often as you can.  I am very lonely. [[/margin]]