From

My S.S. Teacher

who moved away

 

Pomeroy Oct. 3^d 1886

 

Ira—

           

My Dear boy,

                                    I have you to thank for the good letters that you and your Mama wrote me, and you must not think yourself forgotten because of the long time that it takes for me to answer. Two or three weeks ago I answered Jimmie & Harry Millards letters that I had received more than a year before and after I heard of Mr. Forte's death I wrote to Earnest for I felt so sorry for him—and when I heard that he had gone on to the R.R. to work I felt that I must write / and help him all that I could I am very slow to write I leave it now for Ella to do, mostly—she is not well to day has a very bad cold—which is quite prevalent here at present

                                                                                                           

Nov 7^th

            Dear Ira           I commenced this letter more than a month ago since then we have got Viola ready for school she is attending in Dayton a place 30 miles away, the school here is here is not as good as we would wish. I hope we may have better before many years. Ma did not attend church to day as she has quite a bad cold and we live some distance from the church. we have had several hard frosts but no snow. when it snows here the wind does not blow so that it is not very cold we have nice winter weather & the children enjoy sliding down hill. nearly every boy & girl from 6 to 16 have a sled and some older than that too. the hills here are fine for coasting. We read in last weeks Vindicator that Ina was quite sick we all hope she is better before this. yesterday there was a lady and her babe burried in one coffin they both died friday morning, the lady had been sick for five weeks with fever. We had in our Sunday School to day about 75 that is a good number for us Ella is Ass. Superintendant. Jennie is Librarian and has within the last month collected $38.50 for a library She will make it $40. / this week and then it will be sent away. we expect a donation of $25.00 in books as we have never had a library in the school. There is hard work to be done in this place for the Church and S.S. There are a class of boys that go onto the commons every sunday afternoon to play ball just about the time that our school opens I have sent invitation to some and will try and see others and get them into the SS if we can. I am so glad that you and Ina both [line faded out]

 

Church. You have such a dear Mother to help you and such a pleasant home that it will be easy [faded] way"

 

[top margin]

 

I have written most of this with pencil because Mr Farnsworth was using pen & ink Tell your Mama that we will never forget her though we may not write often

 

give my love to her. My time is more fully occupied here than in Kidder.

 

With love to my dear Ira from his teacher—

 

M. E. Farnsworth        Write me again—

SOURCES