p.

West Brattleboro, 6.30.1861

My Dear Brother,

I was disappointed in not
receiving a letter from thee with the
rest last week, yet hope it will not be
long delayed. Suppose thee and Melissa
got along as nice as two clams. She is
a good girl but always talked me to
sleep about Charles or some other equally
interesting subject. Have had a nice
letter from Mary. I was so much in
hopes she would be much better from
her journey. I shall write to her soon.
I have not heard from Timothy, am
afraid he has written and I have lost
the chance of getting the letter, some of
my first ones were sent to the other
house, to a Miss Stevens there, and makes
the ? is put-on, we do not get letters
for some time. And Mary wrote that
? John is going to move to some Gov't

Am some afraid I shall not pass a very
good examination, the class had five
weeks the start of me, and there is hardly
anyone who is to be examined in four studies.
It will most break my heart - if I should fail.
School does not keep the 4th. What is going
on at ? then? Guess I shall be lonesome.
I have had such a splendid letter from
? Fannie. She and Mrs. Barr expecting to
remain in the People's Head (?) another
year. ? Killop is to teach. She likes him
very much. Guess ? wishes she was
to be the ? Department this year.
Mrs. B. is very smart, the baby ditto. named
Frank Wilfred. It seems so queer to think
of a baby at No. 1. There is some talk of Mr. B's
being prompoted to Lieut. Major in the Reg.
We hear they are going to draft men after
the fourth. This seems awfully bad. What
are things coming to? We don't get many news
until it is rather ancient, and do not have
much time to read when we can be in
the reading room. I feel very anxious about the war,