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speak of the icehouse or the lumber in your letter. I was a little interested in both last winter you know. Did the icehouse prove to be advantageous enough to induce you to fill it this winter? Did Father have any trouble in selling the lumber for a fair price? What did you and Father busy yourselves with during the past winter?
Spring has really commenced here. In fact we have had no winter to speak of. Only an inch of two of snow fell once or twice. The climate is about like Virginia I suppose. The winter not as damp and chilly nor the summer as hot as Georgia. 
I wrote [a letter - crossed out] to Bullock a few weeks ago for a letter of introduction to Washburne the U.S. Minister here which I received a few days ago. Bullock introduced me as a loyal man and his personal friend. Washburne received me
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very cordially and gave me a card to a grand entertainment he gave on Washingtons birthday, which I did not attend of course. My object in getting a letter to him was to get into the French National School of Fine Arts which I could only do through him. He presented my name to the French Minister of Fine Arts and I am now awaiting his permission [when [crossed out]] to enter the school. There is no place for me in the world equal to it and I ought to remain there four or five years. No person [unless [crossed out]] can form any idea of the great difficulties one encounters in studying Sculpture unless they have passed through the same [up carrot] thing. The farther I go the harder it looks to me and the more difficulties I encounter, but I am determined to succeed [or [crossed out]] if I have no great misfortunes. I could tell you of a great many little successes I have had since I