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365 Fourth St – New York 12 June 1863 Friday night –

Mrs. Margaret Greene Narragansett Ferry R[hode] I[sland]

My dear Mrs. Greene I have much pleasure in forwarding to you the enclosed letter to you [‘to you’ struck-through] from my Sister. It came in one from her that reached last night, & would have been forwarded to you more promptly had I known your proper address earlier. Sarah obtained it for me by going to No. 34 Wash[ingto]n Square late this afternoon.

Having a verbal message to you from my Sister in a former letter from my Sister (to Sarah) which was received on the evening of the 3rd inst. [3 June] & Sarah leaving the City for a few days at 8 a. m. on the 4th, I accidentally discovered this by seeing (for the first time) that letter on the evening of the 4th: whereupon I said to myself: “Why “should not I[underscored] go at once, myself, & see Mrs. Greene, instead of “waiting 4 or 5 days until Sarah’s return? It is better than “taking my customary nap after dinner. Yes: [underscored] I will [underscored] go.”

I accordingly armed myself for the visit as follows: - 1st I had a bottle well cleansed to answer the purpose of a decanter, & filled it well with clear [underscored] Port Wine; knowing that Ann had sometimes had the pleasure of doing the same thing: 2nd I put my ear-trumpet into my pocket to save your lungs: 3rd I had to refer to my list of New Year’s calls to make sure of your address. – All this took some time; but at last, proud of my achievements, I sallied forth, when it was still day- -light; and you may imagine my disappointment on reach= =ing your late abode to be told – “Mrs. Greene left yesterday, [underscored] for “Rhode Island to spend the summer at the same place she spent “last summer” – or words to that effect. – I saw your landlady, in the hope of getting your address that I might write to you; but the account she gave me seemed too vague for me to make the at= =tempt; & I am glad that today Sarah was more successful in her enquiries.

They told me you were somewhat better; & I hope you are still minding [....page folded over] [?] yours sincerely Rutson Maury

[Marginalia]

[..... page folded over] to write to my Sister, you have only to enclose the letter to Mess[ieu]rs

Maury Bro[ther]s New York