so favorably, with the 23d; as it is generally received in the army.  We organized a society in Four-Mile of which your humble servant was Vice Prest, but it is impossible to keep up an intest here, and there has been no meeting for a long time.  Now for our business affairs.  I believe I never wrote you that there had been another, and a permanent survey of the Keokuk and Desmoines Valley railroad, and it runs diagonally across our eighty, and cuts about ten acres off of the forty south of Runyon, so if we don't "strike Ile' its a bad bargain, but I have great hopes that if there is Petroleum in this part of the country, it can be found there, and the coal of itself which doubtless lies in those hills will be a fortune to us some time.  If Austin had had a good offer for the whole or part of the farm at 40 dol, he would have taken it, there have several talked of taking it, but at last gave it up.  Austin told me a day or two ago that he would try to set out a lot of grape vines for you this spring; but thought he would not go into it extensively as you desired him to do.  He has rented out nearly all his ground for this year; but has given up building a barn.  Father will move next week or the week after as the folk in the house seem quite anxious to have us away.  I will not know definitely about my school for a week or two yet.  We have heard nothing from Cyrus lately, I saw in the Register lately that the 8th was in Ala; I will write to Stuart to forward that box to me, at Desmoines.  Bro Nash is about resigning, to undertake the financial work of our coledge at the Capital, don't know who we will have as pastor.  Well my dear I must close for the present, father and Austin are going to town again today.  May your head be covered in the day of battle, and you heart and life be kept pure is the prayere of your wife  Mary.