Almond Jan 11^th 1862

 

            Fannie

                                                I am comfortably esconced by the fire this stormy day with nothing to do but write letters &c. We reached home that evening after we left your house. we had a very cold ride the wind blowing in our faces all the way. we stoped at Pafreyville at noon nearley frozen. we stayed about an hour at P_ and then started again for home, which we reached about four oclock and was soon seated around a good blazing fire where we soon forgot our troubles in the comfort we took in getting warm. my school draged heavily for a few days after I returned but I made up my mind that this life is not all made up / of sunshine and pleasure and soon got my mind back to its accustomed chanel, so that now my school got off nicely.

 

My New Year’s present rode home safely and now adorns the corner of the sitting-room over the melodion it looks very pretty hung up there with a few choice papers peeping out of it to tell its use. Mib has promised to take good care of it while I am gone, so that probably it will not get lonesom. Fanny you remember those lost boquetts? they came to light to day. I was over to see Gus and Sarah to day and while there was admiring some flowers she had in a vase, when Sarah told me she did not know where they came from, that she had found them among some of the Dr’s things &c on a closer examination I soon discovered that they were my property, so that I shall yet be able to fulfill my promise & take / them to Berlin in the spring, but it is late so good night. I will finish in the morning

 

Sunday morning

            I have been sitting for some moments with pen poised above my paper trying to think of something interesting to write but have at last given up. news items are very scarce in these parts. we had a good sing lat evening I wish you could have been here to help us. Mrs King, Mib and myself held forth to a not very apreciative audience consisting of brother George the dog and cat. Master Fido evinced his gratification by sundry unearthly howls, with the exception of those we received no applause.

 

            I guess Fanny you were not so lonesom as you thought you would be after we left for there appeared to be a jolly load of folks to amuse you on New Years day after we left. we enjoyed our visit very much it seemed to me that I was among old friends that I had known / for years instead of a few short months, but there probably is a reason for this. you know we occasionally meet with those for whom our affections are impreceptably drawn out and ere we are aware they are the objects of our sincere devotion. be this spiritual affinity as the Spiritualists term it, or not I do not pretend to know, but I do know that such things do happen although they may not be of frequent occurrence.

 

            It is nearly time for me to go back to my school so that I must draw this to a close. now Fanny, please write me a good long letter. your letters are to me (as Prof. Spencer used to say) “as an oasis in the desert of life around whose green and ambrosial shades the memory delights to linger calling real and fancied pleasures from evry word and line” but good by. please give my regards to your people, and may the good Father take you under his special care is the prayer of                         Your friend

                                                                                                Frank M. G.

 

P. S. How is your mother now. hope she is better. it must be quite a trial for her to be so confined to her bed.

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