Transcribe [Penney?], J. Letter to Mastodon. (1883-09-28)

[Crapo, Zajans]

Grand Rapids, Mich. Sept 28th 1883 My Dear Mastodon I "a-ward" you this premium for barbarity in so much as you tortured me with the [tracks]? -platypus- of my beloved friend whose card on my desk [roused]? my eagerness to [grasp him]? and whose wake even I could not catch - if ever he taketh the trail [hitherward] and [sendeth] no card in advance - no poster on the wall - I write him on the list of my prehistorics and forget about him - [?]. [?] etc., etc. And now for the kindly and welcome remembrance of the Notice of exhibition" duly rec'd my ever