RK-455

The Grove Feb 7th 1858

Dear brother of mine.

Cora received a letter from you by yesterdays mail, and Charlie got another from Chicago in the evening: I need not say how glad we were to get them. Your letters are the most welcome ones that come to The Grove nowadays.

Last evening Frank, and France Chandler came out: Mr Mc Laury and George came down from The Folly, and Miss Boyden is here yet, so we had quite a pleasant party; last night we played euchre, whist and chess; and enjoyed ourselves generally. Frank is just as full of fun as ever, and as usual had a great many funny things to say.

I have been thinking about you all the morning and wondering if you was having as pleasant

a time as we are. When I feel very happy I always think of you, and hope you are not having any homesick or blue feelings: and when I feel low spirited or blue I think of you and wonder if you are just at that time feeling as I do. We all think of you often and hope that you are enjoying yourself, and learning as much as you can.

I should think after giving two “small girls” as many lectures as you have about the “terribl” results of a gossiping spirit – that you had better not ask us to relate all the “gossip”. I am astonished; however I will try and gossip a little for your particular benefit – “Firstly” Dr Moody has sewed Uncle Will, for teaching his children four months, and medical attendance several times – It is the most ridiculious thing; and ift appears to me that Dr Moody could not have

been in his right mind when he did it – I guess he did not remember how many months board Uncle Will could sew him for or how much he had used Uncle Wills horses and buggy – I am afraid he has gotten to be a poor scamp – Was it before you went away that he married a Miss Williams?

Uncle Will expects his new tenants soon. He says they are quite different from any one he has had before and I think so too; the lady is going to have a little girl to take care of her baby, while she gives Fan and Gracey music lessons ect.

We aught to be satesfied, and I trust we are – to have Charlie get as good a wife as I have no doubt Delia Boyden will mak, she is certainly a good girl, and although she is not such a person as I should have supposed Charlie would have fancyed, he is

undoubtedly the best judge as to whether he loves her or not, I endeavor to treat her in as kind and sisterly a manner as possibl.

One of the principl topics of conversation at present is the nameing of your new cousin – who is of course a “very fine child” in the eyes of his Aunts Avis and Velia.

I am wearing my hair curled in front, I think is is rather more becoming than dressing it quite plain.

We are all playing chess a great deal this winter, some one is using the chess board all the time from morning till night,= I think it a much better way of spending ones time than in reading novils – We have had “lots” of fun lately in reading “Pickwick paters” by Dickens. Frank says tell you he is well and wants you to write to him –

Take good care of your self, and be a “good boy” - God bless you – Sister Alice