<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?><div1 type="electronictranscription">
               <div2 type="letter_with_poems_embedded" xml:id="a817.txt.1" rend="fair-copy draft, incomplete (not mailed)">
                  <!-- hand="fair" ink="pencil"  -->
                  <ab type="salutation">Dear friend -<lb/>
                  </ab>
                  <ab type="passage">
                     <hi rend="indented">To reproach</hi>
                     <lb/>my own Foot in<lb/>behalf of your's, <lb/>is involuntary,<lb/>and finding
                     <lb/>myself, no solace<lb/>in "whom he loveth<lb/>he chasteneth"<lb/>your Valor
                     astounds<lb/>me - It was only <lb/>a small Wasp,<lb/>said the
                     French<lb/>Physician, repairing<lb/>the sting, but<lb/>the <seg type="trace" corresp="a820.trace.1" xml:id="a817.trace.1">strength to <lb/>perish is sometimes<lb/>
                        <pb rend="second leaf (A 817a)"/>withheld -</seg>though who<lb/>but you
                     could<lb/>tell a Foot.<lb/>
                  </ab>
                  <ab type="line_s_verse">Take all away<lb/>from me, but leave<lb/>me
                     Ecstasy<lb/>And I am richer<lb/>then, than all<lb/>my Fellow men -<lb/>Is it
                     becoming <lb/>me to dwell so<lb/>wealthily<lb/>When at my very<lb/>Door are
                     those<lb/>possessing more,<lb/>In abject poverty?<lb/>
                  </ab>
                  <ab type="passage">That you compass<lb/>"Japan" before you<lb/>
                     <pb rend="second sheet, first leaf (A 817b)"/>you breakfast, not<lb/>in the
                     least sur-<lb/>prises me, <seg type="trace" corresp="a821.trace.1 a822.trace.1" xml:id="a817.trace.2">clogged <lb/>only with Music,<lb/>like the Wheels
                        <lb/>of Birds -<lb/>
                     </seg>
                  </ab>
                  <ab type="passage">Thank you for<lb/>hoping I am well -<lb/>Who could be <lb/>ill
                     in March,<lb/>that Month of<lb/>proclamation?<lb/>Sleigh Bells and<lb/>Jays
                     contend<lb/>in my Matinee,<lb/>and the North <lb/>surrenders, instead<lb/>of
                     the South,<lb/>
                     <pb rend="second sheet, second leaf (A 817c)"/>a reverse of <lb/>Bugles -<lb/>
                  </ab>
                  <ab type="passage">Pity me, however,<lb/>I have finished<lb/>Ramona -<lb/>
                  </ab>
                  <ab type="passage">Would that like<lb/>Shakespeare, it<lb/>were just
                     published!<lb/>Knew I how to<lb/>pray, to intercede<lb/>for your Foot<lb/>were
                     intuitive - but<lb/>I am but a<lb/>Pagan -<lb/>
                  </ab>
                  <ab type="line_s_verse">Of God we ask<lb/>one favor,<lb/>That we may<lb/>be
                     forgiven -<lb/>
                  </ab>
               </div2>
            </div1>