La Porte Dec 8^th/60

 

            Dear Sister Teen

                                                Yours was rec^d from M- and joyfully read I assure you and as I have some leasure time to day (it being saturday) I will drop you a few lines. I see you have been making a visit to Madison. how I should like to have spent a week with you there. I beleive I can never get so weaned from home but that I shall wish myself back, for there is no place like it as I have found yet, and I think I have tried pretty well for so young a fellow. I suppose you would like to know how I prosper in my school. I am hapy to say, well, we are increasing all the while have seven scholars taking a course in bookkeeping, and quite a large class in penmanship we have scholars of all sorts and sizes from fourteen to Thirtyfive or forty years of age and from the first families in town. so you see we are establishing our reputation by degrees. I think we shall make a pretty good thing on the whole if we have no bad luck. you spoke of keeping down the expenses which I assure you we do and to the lowest notch. we are boarding our selves and it onley costs us some fifty cents per week not over that I dont think. I wish you could step in some day and see us get our grub our crockery consists of three tin plates two saucers and a pint bottle for molasses. we also have a set of knives & forks which we made ourselves out of a choice stick / of wood. I would not forget to mention our kettle which serves us for various purposes, (ie) to boil our potatoes cook our mush make gravy in cooking meat when we have any and washing our dishes when they get washing I believe in the old adage that fortune helps those who help themselves. I have joined the order of Good Templars in this place and like it much. it is a good order and not onley paves the way of temperance but of religion and virtue. Now. dear Sister I am about to make an announcement which perhaps you will not approve of. I intend to commence the study of the Law with Judge Wheeler of Berlin in the spring if nothing happens to prevent. I have engaged a situation with him on very good terms for me I think. now Teen you need not think the term Lawyer signifyes vilain for it does not but of one of the highest and noblest callings extant although I am sorry to say that it is not considered in its true light by maney. but I must think of closing please give my respects to all my old friends, to Cory especialy. I beleive I owe him a letter which I must answer soon. my respects to Orson and a kiss for each of the children tell Katy she is about old enough to write me a letter and I should like to heare from her. but good by and accept much love from your

 

                                                                                                Affect Bro

P.S. I will send you one of our                                                                       Frank M G

circulars I beleive you have had none

            we have to make a big splurge

SOURCES