Neal, Nathan P.
I have taken my pen in hand to let you hear from me. Your letter
reached here on friday last
in which
was gladly read in which I was gladly informed that you were well &c. I
have no news to write thats of importance. the negro that I wrote you was
stabbed on the election day died on monday night last the negro that stabbed
him was sold that is his master sold him to a speculator after it happened but
luckily he was not run off. I saw the murderer the next day after he was caught
he is now in jail at
Hillsboro
his trial will come of[f] in about 2 weeks. I always like to fill my paper when
I write home but having nothing to write I expect to find it somewhat
difficult to do
Page 2
at present. Tell
Mary
I was
pleased to read her interesting letter though if she composed it she did
remarkably well good deal better than I expected she could. You must write once
a week and let me hear from home weekly if no oftener and that would do pretty
well. I am well myself and hope you may all be the same at home I am tightly
employed in my books dont go about to find out news but stay closely to my room
I should be glad if I could see you all; get more homesick on sundays than any
other time for only then I am
not employed and
even then I am
a employed a good deal
of my time for I have to attend prayers before breakfast attend church at 11
oClock and
Bible lesson to get
and prayers
Page 3
again in the evening and we have a
lecture also on the
bible on sunday but
not compeled to attend though I think it eaqually as good as the preaching so
you can see and know how my time is employed on the sabath, When you write you
need
nt be particular what but anything you think of about
your plantation your work & the news of course; and anything that comes to
hand all is interesting to me. Our fair at the
Hotel
2 is
pritty sorry badly cooked and filthy. We have corn pie beef gingercake &c.
flies no rarity to be cooked cups and saucer not clean coffe very weak, but I
have it very sweet, and get a plenty but not so nice as I like. When I left
home I hardly knew what a chinch
3 was
but not have become pretty well acquainted with the customers for I sleep with
a
Page 4
good many and by that means have scraped
acquaintinces. I would have the bed scalded but I expect that the matress is
full if so it would do but little good they get on me in the day or anytime
that I lay down almost. I send you and the family my love and best wishes you
will please excuse blunders and mistakes as I am in a hurry to get through. my
lessons are harder a good deal to me than they would have been if I had come
here immediately after quiting
Watkins
4 and
consequently could have got a better report though I try and get my lessons the
best I can and idle scarcely any. and if you dont know your lesson pretty good
both of the Philips [
James
and
Charles
Phillips
] will give you a rushing as the boys call it and even if you do
they are pretty apt to rush them French is becoming somewhat more easy to me
and I dont know but it is about as easy a lesson as I have.
5 dont
hear from home only when you write the
Eagle
6
comes but brings no news and I find but little as yet thats interesting though
I am glad to get it and see whats in it &c. My subject has been out for
sometime and now my paper is out so I will come to aclose.