RKFP-033

Wheeling Jan 14th 1853

My dear Cousin

As I have just begun to write letters and have not yet written to you and as I have never heard that Uncle Doctors children have favored you often and as I want to hear from you I thought that I would have the more reason to avail myself of that pleasure and privilege

George was twelve years old the day before yesterday; In celebration of the event we had a Turkey for supper, and Ice cream in the evening. Some of the neighbors came in and we had a very pleasant time of it George and I were at "The Grove" on Saturday last, and drove some cattle home with us which although not very hard work is sometimes very tedious and provoking. They were all in good health at the Doctor's.

We go to school steady, and get our lessons at home. We have monitors sometimes. The teacher has given me a class of small scholars - I have Rose and Harold and one of the little Thornton

girls in my class

We make a quarter of the school and carry our dinner in a peck basket

You must write all about your school and your studies.

The ice is not strong enough to skate now so that we can't have any sport in that way We had a candy pull[underlined] on New Years eve. We invited the Thornton Children over and we had a fine time pulling it

Tell Uncle Asa to send my flute out the first chance

I hope that you are learning to dance so that next summer you can teach the rest of us.

Give my respects to all the good people and tell Fanny that she must write to us and let us know how she spends the winter.

You must answer my letter as soon as you can.

Your affectionate cousin Ransom.