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Quarters Master's Dept? I fear you will think
one a sad bore, but "necessity knows no law,"
as you have doubtless discovered before to-day.
My Father, used to tell a story of a Frenchman
who failing to obtain a situation under Government,
said he would have one grande revenge,
he would set up a barber's shop, in sight of
the President's House! I have an idea of a
revenge also, and that would be to open a
school in Washington next Fall, as I have
heard from many sources there is a capital
opening. Turn it over in your mind and tell
me what you think of it: I would rather
get a writership were that possible; but something
I must do, as to going on wearing
out my brains on other people's houses, for
the petty sums of $150 and $250 per-annum
& giving away $100 of that, it is too slow a
way to make a fortune for me.

I must make a beginning some day
if I ever hope to have a roof over my head
and why not now? I thought of taking
2 rooms, a school-room and chamber
and feel certain could I gather a
nucleus of 25 pupils, I should succeed,
for I feel I am competent and
I always go heart and soul into what
I undertake: but there is abundant time
to consider this matter before next Sept. should
I be spared that long.

Give much love to all at home; tell Mr. Stabler I am
truly grateful to him for his efforts in my
behalf and to you also I owe a debt of gratitude
which I cannot easily repay.
It is cold as Nova Zembla, and the wind howling
like a wild beast, [but?] I am in cold and