Boston Oct. 20^th '61.

 

Dear Ro^s,

                        One letter have I received from you since you left this place, if you are very buisy I will pardon your not writing oftener. Abbies letter of the 15^th inst. I received and was glad the news it contained was no worse. I am anxious to hear from you, hope I shall receive a letter tomorrow night with the news that you are all much better.

 

I am quite well and prospering about the same as ever. Fred is now boarding with me, but we shall not remain many weeks longer. I do not like the way the man does business, and our table is not what it used to be a fair dinner he gives us but the steak we get for breakfast, "makes very good shingles but rather poor eating". Our supper / is good at six but when one arrives at seven, as I do very often, they get biscuit that reminds one of grapeshot. I know of a good place where I can go about the first of Dec. I shall remain here till then.

 

            The Tip Case has been decided in favor of Chase M^cKinney & Co. and of course we feel pretty well about it. Goodyear & Co. succeeded at first but their lies would not stand when they came to be thoroughly sifted. Another trial can be had but we feel perfectly safe. If this decision is sustained we have the control over every kind of a shoe tip. Army contracts are a little on the decline, the report a few days since that Fremonts contracts were not to be settled at present caused some uneasiness in the firms mind but Cameron has sanctioned ours, so all is well in that direction.

 

When are you and I going to "the war". they need the men and we may as / well go as any one. Its a little hard to loose three years time at this age but thousands are doing it, our time is worth no more than theirs. I have always said that when the time came that the men could not be enlisted as fast as they were needed I would go and that time came some time ago. When ever you get ready to join some good company either in the field or now forming I will be with you. I mean what I say. Mother is the only drawback. I know how hard it would be for her to see us going away where perhaps we never should return. Enlisting is going on slowly in this state; not very slowly either when we consider how many have already gone. About eighty recruits for the 10^th Me. Regt. passed through here last week.

 

Sumner speech at Worcester created quite a talk. The leading Republicans think he took a very unwise course, one that / would not only drive out the border states but divide us at the North. The time may come when that doctrine will go will but it is quite evident that it has not arrived yet.

 

I have not visited Braintree since you were here, received a from Georgia a day or two ago all were well. We have had no cool weather thus far but considerable rain and last evening a thunder shower. All things are mooving along quietly and pleasantly perhaps I might say. I feel a little uneasy about you at home but trust all will be well with you in a few days. I hope to hear from you often till they are well. I do not see what makes it so sickly with you. here it is quite healthy I should say. I presume you have your harvesting quite well along. I would like to drop in and husk with some evening. wish someone would make me a present of a ticket to Buckfield & back. I would drop down and see you some fine day. The young people are well I hope. I should like to see them all Addie Laura Katie and all the others of our town. Do you hear from the boys in the 8^th Regt? I wish you and I were with them, can we not be? Tell Howard & Willie that I think of them often and hope soon to hear that they are quite well I sent Willie a paper yesterday. Remember me to all excuse poor writing poor pen            Charles

 

[margins]

 

I wrote you about the Woburn papers in a letter to Mother. I have the paper & $2.87 in my draw. shall I try to collect the remainder? 13 cts ea. The Stoneham notes were due the last of Nov. not Oct. as I wrote. I would invest my money Treasury Notes if I were you

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