<hi rend="bold"> Letter from J. B. Mitchell to Ruffin H. Thomson, May 29, 1866 :</hi> Electronic Edition. Mitchell, James Billingslea, 1844-1891 Funding from the University Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill supported the electronic publication of this title. Text transcribed by Bari Helms Images scanned by Caitlin R. Donnelly Text encoded by Caitlin R. Donnelly First Edition, 2007 ca. 12K The University Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, North Carolina 2007

© This work is the property of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It may be used freely by individuals for research, teaching and personal use as long as this statement of availability is included in the text

 Ruffin Thomson Papers (#3315), Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Letter from J. B. Mitchell to Ruffin H. Thomson, May 29, 1866 J. B. Mitchell 3 pages, 3 page images 1866 Call number 3315 (Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

The electronic edition is a part of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill digital library, Documenting the American South.

The text has been encoded using the recommendations for Level 5 of the TEI in Libraries Guidelines.

Originals are in the Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Original grammar, punctuation, and spelling have been preserved.

Page images can be viewed and compared in parallel with the text.

Any hyphens occurring in line breaks have been removed, and the trailing part of a word has been joined to the preceding line.

All quotation marks, em dashes and ampersand have been transcribed as entity references.

All double right and left quotation marks are encoded as ".

All single right and left quotation marks are encoded as '.

All em dashes are encoded as —.

Indentation in lines has not been preserved.

 </bibl> </taxonomy> </classDecl> </encodingDesc> <profileDesc> <langUsage> <language id="eng">English</language> </langUsage> <textClass> <keywords scheme="unc_history"> <list> <item> Any special keywords assigned for this project </item> </list> </keywords> </textClass> </profileDesc> <revisionDesc> <change> <date>2007-05-29,</date> <respStmt> <name>Caitlin R. Donnelly</name> <resp/> </respStmt> <item>finished TEI/XML encoding.</item> </change> </revisionDesc> </teiHeader> <text id="unc09-41"> <body> <div1 type="personal letter"> <pb id="unc09-41-p01" n="[1]"/> <head> Letter from <name key="pn0001198" reg="Mitchell, James Billingslea" type="person" rend="yes">J. B. Mitchell</name> to <name key="pn0001680" reg="Thomson, Ruffin H." type="person">Ruffin H. Thomson</name>, May 29, 1866 </head> <opener> <dateline> <name key="name0000165" reg="Chapel Hill, NC" type="place">Chapel Hill N. C.</name> <lb/> <date>May 29<hi rend="sup">th</hi> / 66</date> </dateline> <salute>Dear <name key="pn0001680" reg="Thomson, Ruffin H." type="person" rend="yes">Ruff</name></salute> </opener> <p>I came here intending to remain and complete my college course which the war interrupted, but the old <name key="name0000165" reg="Chapel Hill, NC" type="place" rend="yes">Hill</name> is so different from its former self that I begin to think seriously of going elsewhere. It is melancholy to contemplate the change. I can well understand the feelings of the old Indian who came back from the far <name key="name0001222" reg="The West" type="place">West</name> to visit once more his native hunting grounds & found himself alone & unknown where years before he was accustomed to sport with crowds of merry companions. Such is my situation now. New faces & cold hearts meet me every where. Our old club is no longer in existence. I shall not endeavor to revive it. Some of the most pleasant memories of my life are connected with the exercises <pb id="unc09-41-p02" n="[2]"/>of that old club room. That genial flow of wit & humor, jest & ready repartee which made our hall so attractive and beloved cannot now be equaled by the material which we have in College and I would not burlesque those good old times by introducing a miserable failure. I have procured for my room the office in Dr. <name key="pn0001070" reg="Mallett, William Peter" type="person" rend="yes">Mallet's</name> yard formerly occupied by <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Charlie Martin</name>. The <name key="pn0001070" reg="Mallett, William Peter" type="person" rend="yes">Doctor's</name> medical library remains in it and a skeleton used by him hangs on the wall by the side of my bed. So you see if I should change my decision & conclude after all to study medicine & go on with you to <name key="name0000725" reg="New Orleans, LA" type="place" rend="yes">New Orleans</name> this winter I have an excellent opportunity here to do so. The fact is, <name key="pn0001680" reg="Thomson, Ruffin H." type="person">Ruff</name>, I really dont know what I am fit for, or whether I am fit for anything at all. I know this much however, that I must work for my bread and I dislike very much to begin. One principle reason why I come here is that I may postpone the choice of a profession until I recieve more light on <pb id="unc09-41-p03" n="[3]"/>the subject. I am afraid you will think I am fickle & probably I may be so, but I do not believe it. I only think it is that natural distrust of one's self & fear of making a false step which every young man is apt to feel when about to make choice of a profession. I would like to know your opinion with regard to what course would suit me best. You are as well acquainted with my nature as any one else, know my weak points, and (if I have any) strong ones, and upon your judgment I would place great reliance. Now, <name key="pn0001680" reg="Thomson, Ruffin H." type="person">Ruff</name>, I <hi rend="underscore">did</hi> say that next time my letter should be a long one but I really cant write it <hi rend="underscore">now</hi>, I will however before long. I have just recieved terrible news from home to day. I have got more kinsfolks than I had when I left. On the 16<hi rend="sup">th</hi> of last month a little <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">sister</name> was born, and I can hardly think of anything else. Please answer this letter as soon as you get it and let your reply be lengthy. Good bye.</p> <closer> <salute rend="center">Your friend always</salute> <signed> <name key="pn0001198" reg="Mitchell, James Billingslea" type="person">J. B. Mitchell</name> </signed> </closer> </div1> </body> </text> </TEI.2>