Chicago Jany 2 11 oclock P M. 1856
My dear Wife,
I reached here before ten oclock this evening in safety having travelled 210 miles since noon. Most of the road all the way from Cincinnati is very rough & the cars rock about almost as much as our steamer did in crossing the ocean.
To day I crossed prairies for the first time some of them as broad as the eye could take in. The road from La Fayette was nearly 70 miles in a strait line across the prairies & all the way from Cincinnati I have not seen a hill over 30 feet high.
I was attacked yesterday afternoon by the rheumatic affection in my right breast rather severely but I managed to get up my drawings and go through with my lecture comfortably. The audience was large & attentive. I found Dr McLeans family a delightful one to stay in. They nursed me up so well (among other things giving me a glass of good Madeira) that I slept well & have endured my ride to day well.
My breast is better.
I found Mr Ward waiting for me at the
Edward wrote this letter to Orra while on a speaking tour in the midwest. He describes crossing the prairies for the first time. He was 63 years old and had seen Europe before seeing the American West. Interestingly, this lifelong teetotaler tells of his medicinal use of "a good Madeira" wine.