Ruffin, Thomas, Jr.
I was reading a very valuable book, and came to passage. write to your parents
frequently, and I got up immediately to write to you. I will not make any
excuses for not writeing sooner for I have none, which would be considered valid
by the book which I have been reading. but I have written home oftener than to
you, and I wrote to you last week but did not send it, for
Mr Polk, by whom I intended sending it, went
off before I knew it, and I had put by his care, on the back, and could not send
it by stage I will now begin with the news. in the first place I have changed my
room and am now with
John
Brodman, and in an excelant room. Next, we had a very good oration
delivered on the 22
nd of Feb. by Mr
Viser one of the students, it pleased both
faculty and students as for my own part I thought it was the best thing I ever
heard, and we had a snap, on that day. lastly, for there is but very little news
here, Judge
Battle
passed through here day before yesterday, and spent
last night at your house But I forgot to tell you that
John Brodman
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received a letter from home stateing that his
mother would accompany his father as far as as your house if no farther, at
commencement I will now tell you how much I have spent and received from D
r
Mitchel
. I received at one time the amount of $4.00. I spent
$1.00 for wood, 10
cts for a letter, ditto 10
cts, ditto 12
cts, $1.70 for a
cicero. and 1.00 for my stage fare there not enough of that,
Mama gave me for she gave me
$22. $20 of which I put in my trunk and $2 in my
pocket thinking that it was sufficient to defray my expeses. and I had left my
trunk behind for I could not get it on the stage therefore I sent him the three
dollars as soon as I got here. and I did not eat any dinner besides that
accounts for the four, at another time I spent $5.00 1.00 of which I
spent for wood, 20
cts for two other letters and deposited
75
cts in the post office, $1.50 for a bird
supper, 1.00 for shoe blacking and $1.00 to an old beggar who came
through here. thus I spent the other $5 having drawn by the 1
st of March $9.00 in all.
Chapel Hill has
increased very much lately both as to number of inhabitants and respectability
and there is very good society and Gov.
Swain
is mayor of
the place and he is endeavouring to clear the place of all bad characters, there
are four very pretty girls here. I have received four letters from
James McNeill and he
is going to return to college.
The Faculty say that they never knew the students to be so well behaved before.
and they have rewarded them for it, they have given four days to us this session
and there has not been a single boy before the faculty this session a thing
which has not happened before in ages.
I will write to you the first week in every month and will give you my account
in evry other one, and also how many times I have been absent from prayers
church and recitations. I have been absent from prayers once sick, but by
mistake they have twice from church none recitations none, I have told
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you this so you might know that it is a mistake
and because I thought you would like to know how many times I have been absent.
I have written to Mr
Smith as you
requested that I sould do I have also written to Cousin
Nancy Brodman. Neither I or
John have heard from the boys a
[unrecovered]. Dear Father I have taken more
pains with this letter than I ever did before, and I hope that you will correct
all mistakes in it as to spelling style and writing and length you will excuse
for I fear that I have been too testing on your patience a long time. and I also
hope that you will write to me before long and give me advice. there is nothing
else now.