Be it complimentary or not, we had certainly given you up for dead! but am rejoiced to find how deceived one may be in their reckoning. Your favor dated Feb 21 reached me this morning, at Cleveland where I have been for the last five weeks. I shall return home as early as I can next week, this is most probably about the 5th, when I will at once see and dispatch the Models.¹

I have had to move them three or four times for we have changed residence that after since I last saw you, so they may not look as fresh as when I received them.

Not seeing you as you [??] I should nor hearing from you, may excuse me from giving you up as last and concluding I should never learn of either you or the train any more!

Am sorry to find you were among the majority in Manchester--But you see there would be no room for a few to distinguish themself, save by sacrifice of the many even in a country which has a grave structure before it--That prospective vision is I think more remote than certain for weather beaten roosters like you and I.

For myself I suppose I shall stick to Insurance, slow as it may be to the end of the chapter. I suppose it is pretty much three years since I did anything with the "[Commercial??] Mutual." I have been in "Oh line" Insurance since, Am now as you see, with the "Michigan Life" hours spent the greater part of my time, for the past nine months representing them in this city. I go home now for 2 [??] weeks now likely to return here so soon as navigation opens. Business has been very Stagnant but I have improved considerably this past month and think things will brighten up in the spring. You do not give a hint as to how you are bringing yourself? Hope you find [??] a hopeful [Toronto??] in whatever you may be engaged you are under the British flag, any way!

If you desire to write me again, and do so for [Saturday??] or not later than Tuesdy [sic], you can address me as above or otherwise at 163 Howard N.Detroit.

¹ Isaac and his brother Calvin Brooks were supposed to have received a trunk containing models of the train car couples that William Dunn had "improved." However, they had difficulty acquiring the materials from Dunn and associates and it is not clear that the items ever actually reached the McQuestens. See W1728 for more on this issue and for the letter that prompted this one, see W2678. For a more comprehensive view of the McQuestens' business with Dunn, see W2554a.