New Haven Feb 3^d 1861

 

            Dear Cousin Frank

                                    Although I am not in the habit of writing many letters, yet I have a sudden inclination to write to you, and I will try to carry it out while the spirit is on me. However you don’t hardly deserve it for you would not even deign to bid me good by the day I left, although you stood within three rods of the railroad as I passed by standing on the platform. You would’nt even so much as look up at me.

 

But considering however that/you were too busily engaged in relating your first day’s experience at the N.B.H.S. to think of anything else, and probably in your mind building lofty castles, of coming forth, after years of indefatigable mental labor, with the highest honor, sheepskin, and all; taking all this into consideration I shall have to pass by the neglect, and forget it.

 

                                    Well, how do you like said N.B H. S. but there is no need of my asking that question for I know you cannot help liking it, and what must make it ten times more pleasant for/you, is the company which I hear you have.

 

And as you now have everything your heart could desire to conduce to your advantage, go ahead and make the best of it, and I have no doubt California will have a teacher of whom she will have reason to be proud.

 

                                    Well as I have speculated at some length on future prospects &c &c I will to common matter of fact affairs. I suppose you have splendid sleighing now or have had, it has been so here for some time, but night before last there came a/rain storm, no very unusual circumstance for New Haven though it rained all day yesterday and the streets were in a pretty mess I can tell you, and now they are all ice & good skating any where. Speaking of skating reminds me that I went on a skating expedition over to Saltonstall lake one Wednesday afternoon shortly after I came back; where there were several hundred on the ice, men women and children. I enjoyed myself as you may judge, but should have liked it better could I have so good company as I had at the mill pond at R.

 

But to come to an end I want you to answer this as soon as possible for the object I have in writing to you is to receive a letter from you Remember me to all the family and inquiring friends.

 

                                    As ever your cousin

                                                Kirt

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