Had I wounded her? And if I had, could I win
her back? Did I wish to? I could not entirely bring myself to relinquish
Dorothy for good. But did I really care for Abigail? I took out her
letter and began to read it again in order to clear my thoughts: "Dear
James: You must be beginning to perceive that day by day you are
accomplishing certain things and thus forming your life. I admire
greatly the way you took hold of the farm and the success that you have
had with it; and I admire too the loyalty with which you have stood by
your duty. Now I cannot help but urge you to come to Chicago. I feel
something of a draw at times to return to the East; but, on the other
hand, this growing town has an increasing fascination for me. It is
already enlivened and bettered by many eastern people; and you would
find a more interesting atmosphere than where you live now. I think some
of the southern people who have settled middle Illinois are as fine as
any one I have ever known; but I do not like the habits and the
principles that go along with the southern institutions. If you could
sell the farm you could use the money to make a very large fortune in
Chicago. The campaign has interested me very greatly; it has been
riotous and colorful and full of extravagance. There is no real truth in
all this business.
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