CaryNorman18660217_001

Carey

Andover Mass.
Feb. 17. 1866

Dear Mother

If you had been upon the skating
park this afternoon you would have seen your
beloved son upon the ice + skating at full speed,
when he is arrested by the penny-post who hands
him a letter directed by his Mother, & a yellow
envelope whose ominous import was, "Telegram."
As you say my last letter was dated Feb. 1. After
that I was busy preparing to enter the New Academy.
On the 7th was the Dedication. After that I was busy
trying to obtain copies of the paper about it. Sending
to Boston + going around town occupied a large
share of my time. Then there was the dedication
of the Society hall + the first prayer meetings in
the new building + the choir meetings for drilling
+ practising new tunes boys had become
tired of the old ones. After that came two days
of thaw + then a freeze. Then I played ball +
to day went skating for the 1st time. Besides
a class of free gymnastics an hour each day has
been formed + this also occupies time.] Owing