Charlie

M. Sep. 23/59

Yale. Monday Evening            Sept 19^th '59—

 

Dear Father

                        Although my letter bears this date I shall not send it for a few days, beginning thus early, that I may not forget anything I might wish to say, as I should be apt to do if I wrote it all at once and in a hurry. You will be glad to know that I have moved across the entry and have Ware as my chum. I think we shall make it go very well. The conditions on which I induced Fuller to move here, that I should pay the rent of 146. and he half the rent of 145 (Ware paying the rest), & that Ware should give him the use of a table and a stove which he (Ware) had bought. We moved Sat. afternoon, and are all settled now. There are two bedrooms to our room, and as soon as Ware can get his bedclothes from home, we shall be still more comfortable. Mr. Phelps called on us a day or two ago, and invited us to return the call at the N. Haven Hotel, where he boards at $10.00 a week. He offers Ware $800 a year to be his sub-master. He declines. He wants a lady teacher. I suppose Kate is engaged. The Sophs. have not troubled us as yet farther than to screech under the window several times and in quite audible tones "Freshmen Beware!" Referring I suppose to my chum. I have met Mr. Howe several times and he treats me very cordially, for which I suppose I am indebted to sister K /

 

There lies on my table a little work entitled—"Lessons on Morals and Christian Evidences—Whately". To morrow morning the first division of the Freshman class take their first lesson therefrom. What will come next I don't know. Perhaps "Webster's Unabridged". Ware calls it our Theological Work, and thinks we had better take up our quarters at Divinity College directly. If we study Latin Prose we shall have our hands full. I shall like it better if you would send me the Courier rather than the Bulletin, as I can see the latter at the Hotel. I see Capt. L'Hommedieu is dead, and buried by the Masonic Order. He told me about two months since that he never saw a man who could tell him what religion was and he didn't believe there was anything in it. It's a pity some one hadn't told him, and perhaps he has found out now that there is something in it which would have made him happy, but which he has lost forever—for I suppose that sinners after death see what they might have been and by these means are rendered more miserable. Tuesday morning—I have just been down to the P.O. and received your letter, and consider you a very good correspondent. I had seen the suicide of Bob. Peck in the paper, although I was not quite certain that it was the one I knew, as I thought he had gone to sea. I suppose the Agricultural Fair comes off soon. It is getting to be an old story in Norwich. The Courier seems quite worked up that there is no monument erected over its dead carcass. I should think from the Bulletin that Sykes was carrying on the paper in / old style viz. snarling and fighting. I had the pleasure of bowing to Mr Sheffield this morning. He went in to the Sarnes Bank so I suppose he is connected with it. I mean he went in with the air of a Prex. Speaking of Prex—President Woolsey is a jewel of a man and prayers in the chapel are quite a different thing from what I anticipated. All is still, and generally impressive. My expenses so far are for dinner, saucer, coal, wood & stove pipe, and amount to $2.14—My oil can leaks a little, but not as badly as the first did. When I have burnt the oil up I shall have it mended. I think it will be a better way than to get another and lose more oil. I saw Mr. Timothy Morton yesterday. He was riding past the college with some ladies. As to secret societies—Ripley showed me the catalogue of members of D.K. since its commencement, 16 yrs ago. I find in it the names of Dauble, Gilman, and Henry Strong Huntington. I shall ask Mr. Gilman's advice. I must study now. Whately is my next lesson—

 

I have just got through my recitation and have a few moments before dinner. I like Prof. Fisher, who heard our lesson, very much indeed. After hearing the lesson he gave us some familiar remarks and advice adapted to us as Freshmen. He exhorted us to keep warm, to keep clean, (by the way, I must buy a wash tub for cleaning purposes) to keep good-natured, to take exercise, to get sleep enough, and to avoid narcotics and intoxicating drinks. His remarks were very good and referred especially to our health. /

 

Tuesday evening—I have just returned from one first class prayer meeting. It was a very good one. There was none of that hesitancy which so dampens a meeting, and which would be expected in a class thrown together for the first time. It is a rainy night, so I cannot judge how large a proportion of the class will attend. There is a movement to have a union prayer meeting of Sophs. and Fresh. It will somewhat counteract the persecution so common about now. Prof. Fisher was in the meeting, and urged us to take letters from churches of which we are members, to the college church. I will do as you say about it. Ripley has just called with a Soph. Skinner. I don't know when or where he studies. I suppose the family are all well. Mother must not work or worry herself into her headaches. Kate mustn't forget our sings together. Sallie shall have the premium for bag-making—Number being the chief point of excellence. Toad and Hyde must pull well together (I refer more especially now to the milking) and must both write me. Winnie and Aunt B[?] also have a place in my rememberance. And now sir asking your pardon for reserving you till the last, thanking you for my privileges here, and for answering my letter so promptly, and asking you to write soon again and keep me posted in regard to Norwich news I am your obedient son

Charlie—

 

I hope you won't think I have written too soon. Perhaps I shall get over it. I haven't received amy letters from your Mackie boarders—

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